What is COP28 and what are Nigeria’s priorities for the 2023 Climate summit?

Early December, over 700,000 individuals will converge in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the 28th edition of this UN climate conference, COP28. The conference will take place from the 30 November to 12 December 2023 at Expo City, Dubai.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international climate summit where global leaders gather to work together on solutions to tackle climate change. The United Nations Climate Change Conferences are the world’s highest decision-making body on climate issues and one of the largest international meetings in the world. There are now 198 Parties (197 countries plus the European Union) to the Convention, constituting near universal membership.

What is COP28 UAE?

COP28 is the 28th iteration of the UN climate conference taking place in UAE and the upcoming two weeks of negotiations will commence with the World Climate Action Summit on December 1 and 2. This summit aims to bring together heads of state, government officials, and leaders from civil society. Distinguished from previous COP events, this unique-to-COP28 gathering is designed to facilitate significant announcements and generate momentum for the subsequent summit.

The thematic program outlined by the UAE indicates when key climate issues will take centre stage. In addition to the customary focus on finance, energy, and nature, this year’s presidency has introduced new themes, including a dedicated day for health.

The annual climate summit changes its venue regularly, and while previous host countries have faced controversies, the criticism directed at this year’s host, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been notably intense. The UAE, being a significant oil-producing nation, has sparked backlash due to the appointment of Sultan Al Jaber, a top executive in the fossil fuel industry, as its COP president.

Detractors argue that having the head of the UAE’s national oil company oversee the crucial climate conference represents a conflict of interest. Responding to such concerns, the UAE has launched an extensive campaign to enhance its environmental image in preparation for the summit, as previously reported by CNN.

In May, over 100 members of the US Congress and the European Parliament called for Al Jaber’s resignation, expressing concerns that his role could undermine negotiations. Despite the criticism, some influential figures, including US climate envoy John Kerry, have commended Al Jaber’s appointment. The UAE contends that it is well-suited to host the world’s largest climate summit, highlighting its status as the first Middle Eastern nation to establish emissions reduction targets for 2030 and 2050, as reported by the COP28 team to CNN.

What are Nigeria’s priorities for COP28?

Last Thursday, Salisu Dahiru, the Director General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), highlighted Nigeria’s objectives for the upcoming 28th Conference of Parties (COP), during a pre-COP workshop. He said that the focus will be on key issues related to its economy and climate resilience journey.

Key areas of focus for COP28 include securing funds for the implementation of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP) launched in the previous conference. Additionally, Nigeria aims to raise additional finance based on the $100 billion commitment by the global north in 2009 to support mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries.

Among the significant concerns for Nigeria at COP28 are the use of gas as a transition fuel and the operationalization of the loss and damage fund agreed upon at the last COP. Mr. Dahiru emphasized the importance of operationalizing the loss and damage fund to support vulnerable countries, with a commitment to leaving no one behind in addressing climate change impacts.

Another critical aspect of Nigeria’s focus is increasing finance for adaptation, given that a substantial portion of available financing is directed towards mitigation efforts. Dahiru stressed that achieving these outcomes depends on consensus-building during the conference, requiring effective negotiation, persuasion, and gaining the confidence of other participating parties.

Regarding funding for Nigeria’s ETP, Dahiru noted the challenges, mentioning that fewer than 10 countries have secured funding for the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). This partnership, controlled by G7 members and occasionally in collaboration with the G20, requires extensive lobbying and requests to secure deals between developed and developing countries. Dahiru highlighted the importance of convincing investors of a favourable business environment, citing Nigeria’s preparedness with a clear transition plan, including the recent removal of the fuel subsidy.

He pointed out positive indicators from the initial two months of the subsidy removal, where fuel consumption significantly decreased, resulting in reduced Greenhouse Gas emissions. This demonstrates Nigeria’s ability to meet its unconditional commitments outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).