COP28: A mirror to pledges and promises

With climate change-induced disasters multiplying, the Dubai summit cannot afford to be just a talk shop

Climate negotiations have three purposes — to set the agenda and negotiate targets, facilitate their implementation, and finally, support monitoring and enforcement in a timely manner. If COP26 in Glasgow set the agenda for net-zero carbon emission targets, the upcoming 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai must focus on implementing and enforcing commitments. The year 2023 — being the hottest on record, with droughts, floods, heatwaves, and wildfires hitting the headlines world over — is issuing warning after warning about the scale of devastation and the potential loss of economic value if the world does not take more urgent