UN expert at Buckingham Uni worries COP28 may not focus on climate
A professor at the University of Buckingham raised concerns over the location of the international climate conference
International leaders have made their way to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, for the first day of the conference on climate, COP28.
The UN-led event will be held over 14 days with roundtable discussions to explore ways of protecting the climate.
Concerns have, however, risen over the location of the conference and the oil-focused nature of its host.
Professor of UN studies at the University of Buckingham, and former speechwriter for ex-UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Mark Seddon, said: "Both the climate change conference and the national oil corporation seemed to have gotten merged into one, and you can't possibly have Sultan Al-Jaber heading COP from the UAE side, also being in charge of its national oil corporation."
"This is for the benefit of every single citizen on the planet..."
Professor Seddon highlighted the need to separate interests, especially when it comes to oil companies and the protection of the environment, but nonetheless highlighted small positive changes such as the use of electric taxis in the UAE.
The international talks will determine whether agreements can be reached to tackle the reduction of emissions.
The United Nations set out the priorities for COP28 of reducing the production of coal, oil and gas, and increasing the production of greener and renewable energies.
Professor Seddon said: "This is for the benefit of every single citizen on the planet. We know that extreme temperature changes, global warming, is changing our lives wherever we are."
In September, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak re-evaluated the achievability of Net Zero by 2050 both in terms of policies and achievability for companies and people across the UK.
Ahead of COP28, Rishi Sunak said: "Of course we're going to get to net zero, of course it's important, but we can do that in a sensible way that saves people money and doesn't burden them with extra costs."