The CS comes, like every year. In other words, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is not a boring meeting of diplomats, but is the highlight of the year when humanity meets to decide how to confront the greatest threat that lies above our future (and already our present ) a threat looms: a climate emergency.

This year, the 28th COP will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s largest producers of fossil fuels. How is it possible that a climate change summit is taking place in a country whose economy depends on the product causing the problem? About politics, or rather about the economic interests that drive politics.

From the first moment, the Emirati appointment aroused suspicions, which intensified when the country appointed Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of the state oil company ADNOC, one of the world’s largest, as president of the CoC. Suspicions were confirmed when the BBC reported a few days ago that the United Arab Emirates was planning to use its role as host of the COP as an opportunity to secure oil and gas deals.

We come to this CS with record profits from the fossil industry, record emissions, record temperatures and extreme events.

If the allegations are true, then this is completely unacceptable and a real scandal. The leader of the climate summit must focus all his attention, dedicate all his time and effort to impartially and, of course, honestly promoting climate solutions, and not shutting down the shadow business that itself fuels the climate crisis. Every new fossil fuel project is a violation of the Paris Agreement and puts the sustainability of life under control.

We come to this CS with record profits from the fossil industry, record emissions, record temperatures and extreme events. For the first time, fossil fuels take center stage at a global climate summit. For better and for worse. The question is, will governments finally agree on a roadmap for a fossil fuel-free future for all? Or a climate summit led by an oil company CEO will become Green Fair fossil fuels in history?

There are three keys that will determine the success or failure of this QE:

  1. Agree to divest from fossil fuels (gradually stop): a commitment to phase out, accelerated, and equitably phase out ALL fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) and eliminate the development of new fossil fuels. No greenery. No contaminated politics. The COP must decide to completely phase out fossil fuels without exceptions.
  1. Make polluters pay: progress in creating financial mechanisms that will force the fossil fuel industry to pay for losses and damages (and more) to meet the needs of the least responsible and most vulnerable.
  2. Move from words to facts: For the first time, the COP will take stock of the actions taken since the 2015 Paris Agreement (the so-called Global analysis, in UN jargon); We must agree to close the gaps that separate us from current 2030 commitments, accelerate immediate action to keep the 1.5°C limit within reach, and put in place mechanisms to adapt to all climate impacts. Emission reduction targets should be improved using Global analysis commit to reducing global emissions by 43% by 2030.

We have all the solutions we need for the energy transition, but the transition won’t happen fast enough unless governments can get rid of fossil fuels. The CoC is the most powerful forum in the world to avoid the greatest threat to humanity and enable us to ensure our survival, rather than enter into trade agreements that fuel a polycrisis. I hope it is remembered as the COP that marked the beginning of the end of fossil fuels, rather than the COP in which fossil fuels re-imposed their interests. Civil society will insist on a single future.

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Eva Saldaña, Executive Director of Greenpeace Spain