Jump to navigation

Vol 64 No 25

Published 14th December 2023


The 28th UN Conference of the Parties Climate Summit – a users' guide

How to navigate the facts, the figures and the declarations | By Tim Concannon and Jerry Sam in Accra and Caroline Chebet in Nairobi

The UN's COP summits are a marathon – even by the standards of other international summits organised by the UN, the IMF and sundry regional organisations.

This year's summit – COP28 in Dubai – is already an epic in terms of the over 90,000 people that have registered as delegates.

It opened on 30 November and is due to run until at least midnight on 16 December when the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, will release the final communiqué and roster of financial pledges and declarations of policy actions from the nearly 200 nations participating.

This dossier offers a point by point guide to the key issues under discussion – from the debate over the Loss and Damage Fund and the need for a global carbon tax to whether the final declaration will include an agreement to 'phase-down'  (as the hydrocarbon economies want) or 'phase out' (as the climate activists want) of fossil fuel production.

For a detailed guide to the facts, the figures and the declarations, read our Special Report here: The 28th UN Conference of the Parties Climate Summit – a users' guide




Related Articles

Brussels backs down on forest laws again

The EU’s anti-deforestation laws show how badly drafted climate policy can alienate everyone – farmers, traders and consumers

Chaos surrounds the European Union’s anti-deforestation regulation. Following a series of U-turns and carve outs, the law will not affect African farmers until June 2026, 18 months later...


ICJ climate ruling opens floodgates for billions in pollution payouts

The UN court’s opinion defining greenhouse gas emissions as ‘internationally wrongful acts’ argues for climate finance to become a legal obligation for the main polluting countries

The ruling by the UN’s top court that countries may be held legally accountable for their greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental damage they cause could help reshape...


The oil economy breaks up

The architects of industry reform bid a long goodbye to oil and welcome the brave new world of gas for all

Energy companies, trades unions and politicians are beginning to get to grips with the prospect of wide-ranging reform of the oil and gas industry, the foundation of the...