Environment

Cop 28 success of setting climate goals won’t tackle existential threat - only real action will

The political energy that was poured into the battle over a few words to describe a long-term goal at the Cop 28 summit in Dubai must be redirected towards agreeing practical steps to take in the present

Young activist stage the last protest in Cop 28 conference venue. Picture: Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

To hear many of the government representatives, activists and media commentators talking about Cop28, you could be forgiven for thinking that the future of humanity was about to be determined by the outcome of a hard-fought negotiation in a conference room in Dubai.

All the actors played their parts convincingly. Over two thousand scientists, activists and chief executives wrote a letter calling for a commitment to phase out fossil fuels.

Al Gore warned that without ...