When world leaders meet for UN climate talks next week, they will face humanity’s failure to curb climate-warming emissions and polluting fossil fuels as the planet faces what will likely be its hottest year in human history.
Pope Francis, King Charles III, political leaders, activists and lobbyists will join more than 70,000 visitors expected for the COP28 meeting in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, making it the largest UN climate change conference ever held.
Negotiators will grapple with a range of key issues, including the future of oil, gas and coal, as well as financial solidarity between rich polluters and poor countries that are most vulnerable to accelerating climate impacts.
But the main focus will be to assess the world’s limited progress in curbing global warming, which requires formulating an official response at the talks from November 30 to December 12.
Signals from leaders will come soon, with about 140 heads of state and government scheduled to speak during the two-day summit starting on December 1.