Climate Special: Will COP28 change the world?

Controversy, cash and compromise – what to look out for.

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Climate Summit Special Justin Rowlatt 30 November 2023 Hello and welcome to this special edition newsletter on the first day of the UN climate summit in Dubai. Bill Gates and King Charles are among the big names confirmed to attend, together with more than 160 world leaders and some 70,000 – yes, 70,000 – other delegates. The choice of host for COP28 was always controversial – a petrostate hosting a climate conference. But it has become even more so after I revealed earlier this week that the UAE’s COP28 team planned to use COP meetings to discuss oil and gas deals. So, is this giant beano in the desert actually going to dial up action on tackling climate change or is it – wait for it – just more hot air? Plus, read on for interesting facts, stunning photography, and everything you need to know about COP, the climate and the world around you. And email me with your comments and questions about the global challenge we face. What to look out for Image: Sean Gallup/Getty After a year of record-breaking temperatures, there is more need than ever for concrete action to come out of this summit. The key question is whether the UN can get countries to agree to ratchet up their voluntary commitments to cutting emissions. It can’t force them, which is one of the main reasons why progress on the climate issue is so slow. Cash is also on the agenda - it always is. The good news is it looks like a long-standing promise to find $100bn a year to help developing nations build greener economies has finally been met. The problem is, getting the whole world to switch to clean power is going to cost trillions, so big global institutions like the World Bank and the IMF are under pressure to help get the cash flowing. Image: Sean Gallup/Getty Another important thing to look out for is whether developed countries will make significant payments to the new “loss and damage” fund to help the poorest countries deal with climate disasters. And watch out for the return of an old COP favourite - the game of “down or out”. Countries are yet to reach an agreement on whether they should be reducing fossil fuels or getting rid of them completely. Image: Fadel Dawod/Getty Oh, and there was a furious reaction to my story about the UAE planning oil deals in climate talks from the COP28 president, Dr Sultan al-Jaber, as the COP28 conference opened. “I promise you, never ever did I see these talking points that they refer to, or [have] I ever even used such talking points in my discussions,” he told a small group of journalists.   UAE planned to use climate talks to make oil deals Leaked briefing documents reveal plans to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations. Read now See your world These villagers in Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas have been building ice towers to tackle water shortages. This image was captured by environmental photographer and writer Arati Kumar-Rao, one of this year's Climate Pioneers on the BBC 100 Women list. Read more on BBC News Credit: Arati Kumar-Rao   🌍 Climate Quiz 🌍 Food production is responsible for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. But what proportion of those emissions come from animal products? A. 35% B. 71% C. 58% Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer. Changing the world Less than 10% of plastic worldwide is recycled, according to the OECD. Every year, around half of the world's 400 million tonnes of plastic waste goes to landfill. Now a French start-up is ready to use an enzyme which can break down plastic on an industrial scale. Read now   🌍 Number of the week 🌍 75% The world needs to reduce oil and gas use by this amount before 2050, to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C in sight, according to the International Energy Agency's latest calculation.     What is COP28? Could concrete offer a surprising climate solution? Where does the UK get its energy and electricity? Is the world warming faster than expected? Record surge in days breaching 1.5C threshold Don't Miss Planet Earth III David Attenborough shares amazing stories of the wonders of the planet. There's always more to discover. Watch now BBC SOUNDS The Climate Question COP is the world's biggest - and most controversial - climate forum. But does it work? Listen now BBC NEWS What is climate change? A really simple guide to the causes, consequences and what can be done. Read now   🌍 Answer 🌍 The answer to today's question was C - 58%. Avoiding meat and dairy products is one of the biggest ways to reduce your environmental impact, according to scientific studies. But what is the difference between beef and chicken, in terms of carbon footprint? And is wine more environmentally friendly than beer? To find out the climate impact of what you eat and drink, try our climate change food calculator here. Get in touch Send me your comments and questions about this newsletter. And keep up with the latest coverage from COP28 at the BBC News website. Lead image credit: owngarden/Getty Would you like to continue receiving Our Planet Now newsletters? Yes please No thanks More from the BBC To stop receiving ‘BBC News’ newsletters click here to unsubscribe. Or you can update your email preferences in your BBC account settings. This email is intended for UK residents. Please note that some features and content in this newsletter are only available to people in the UK. 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