The dirty secret behind Cop28’s upcoming fossil fuel negotiations

As the world finds itself running out of time to address climate change, oil interests have taken centre stage at the annual summit, writes David Callaway

Whatever is decided in Dubai won’t affect oil or gas production for years, if ever (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

One week into the United Nations Cop28 summit in Dubai, and the talks on a global “stocktake” for the world’s climate goals have already descended into a circus of competing oil and banking interests. 

Now that world leaders such as King Charles III and US vice-president Kamala Harris have made their climate pleas and pledges and departed, negotiations in the coming week will focus on hammering out some sort of agreement on cutting fossil fuel emissions. 

On the table is a smorgasbord of nothing burgers. A “phase-out” of oil? A “phase-down” of oil? A “rapid phase-out of unabated coal” production? Or, frankly, no deal at all. The pressure will be great, and the headlines tense. Given the history of these negotiations, talks will drag on past the 12 December deadline until delegates emerge with some vanilla compromise, probably around next Friday.