Scandals and activists at COP28. Global climate summit is underway
The 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai is underway. Activists from Inicjatywa Wschód have also travelled to the United Arab Emirates.
On 30 November, COP28 began in Dubai. The United Nations climate change conference will last until 12 December. Representatives of the vast majority of the world's countries will decide on global climate policy during the summit.
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We have already written about the main issues of the summit here. Accusations of climate hypocrisy are being levelled at conference participants. The British press has reported that King Charles, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former Prime Minister David Cameron will attend COP28. Each of them flew to Dubai in a separate private jet.
The fact that the UN entrusted the organisation and presidency of this year's summit to the United Arab Emirates has also caused controversy. The Middle Eastern monarchy is among the top ten oil producers and the top five in global CO2 emissions per population.
Polish activists in Dubai
A group of female climate activists from the East initiative (Polish: Inicjatywa Wschód) also travelled to Dubai. In a recording on X, Dominika Lasota from the organisation lamented that President Andrzej Duda and Minister of Environment and Climate Anna Lukaszewska-Trzeciakowska, appointed by Prime Minister Morawiecki, are the only representatives from the Polish side attending the summit.
Lasota said that such an important event should also be attended by representatives of the Democratic Coalition that won the elections and will take power in Poland in December. The activist explained that the East initiative came to Dubai to confront fuel lobbyists and politicians who "have our lives for nothing".