The fight against the oil and gas lobby seems lost
Not only countries whose existence is threatened by climate change had placed hope in the World Climate Conference (COP) in Dubai. But also all those who know what the future of the planet will be like if action is not taken immediately. In Dubai, the international community could have pulled together and decided on a binding end to fossil fuels. However, that didn’t happen. Although the conference sharpened its decision again and agreed on a transition away from fossil fuels, there is nothing in the 21-page paper to indicate a binding move away.
However: What do you want to expect from a world climate conference in Dubai? This is like holding a world conference on women’s rights in Iran. Before the conference, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) sent a letter to its member states calling on them to fight against the phase-out of fossil fuels.
OPEC should be pleased with the outcome of the conference. It is a victory for the strong oil and gas lobby, which had a good negotiating position at COP28 thanks to host Dubai.
The reasons for this are obvious: the resolution of the World Climate Conference includes the target of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 and doubling energy efficiency in the same period. That’s better than nothing, but given the worsening climate crisis, it’s simply not enough. According to experts, limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees will then no longer be achievable.
In the long run, it is probably not the rich OPEC countries that will suffer from this vague draft resolution, as they can afford to make the lives of fossil lobbyists as comfortable as possible until the climate collapse is complete. It will first hit vulnerable states such as Tonga, Somalia or Vanuatu, which will particularly suffer from rising sea levels and persistent periods of drought.
Eight years ago, countries around the world decided on the Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to “well below two degrees.” Experts consider compliance with this requirement to be almost impossible to achieve. Not even if the countries of the world manage to radically reduce emissions.
Perhaps the countries that want a final exit from fossil fuels have to admit that OPEC is too powerful. That we cannot combat the sheikhs’ bulging accounts and their extremely successful lobbying work. It would be an admission that the world has lost the battle against the powerful fossil fuel lobby.
