UNDP Chief Calls for Patience Amid Criticism of UAE’s Role in COP28 Climate Conference
Achim Steiner, the head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has cautioned against premature criticism of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the host country for the ongoing COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai.
In an interview with dpa, Steiner emphasized the need to withhold judgment until the conclusion of the conference.
While acknowledging the challenges of understanding the choice of Sultan al-Jaber, the head of the UAE’s state oil company, as the chair of the UN meeting in Dubai, Steiner also recognized the potential for an oil-producing nation to actively engage in addressing climate issues and fostering consensus among the 200 participating states.
Steiner stated, “I say: let’s wait until the end of this conference and assess the role of the United Arab Emirates as host according to the results that come out of it.’’
The two-week conference, featuring 97,000 participants, is slated to conclude on December 12, with the central point of contention being whether a decision will be made to phase out coal, oil, and gas.
Highlighting the complexity of the situation, Steiner noted that Western countries, including the U.S., Canada, Norway, and the UK, are also expanding their oil production. He urged caution when singling out a specific country like the UAE.
The Guardian newspaper and the Centre for Climate Reporting previously reported contradictory statements from Al-Jaber, who suggested in a video call with UN representatives that there is “no science” supporting the necessity of phasing out fossil fuels to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times—a view at odds with the global scientific consensus in climate research.
Steiner defended the decision to award COP28 to the Emirates, emphasizing that such choices are not inherently illegal. He pointed to past climate conferences, like the one in Poland held in a coal region, as examples of the contradictions in a world striving to move forward in the 21st century while still grappling with 20th-century challenges.