The UN climate talks have a relentless history of failure
Extinction Rebellion outlined in white on a pink background

Hello John

2023 is set to be the hottest year on record. More frequent and extreme weather are decimating communities, burning through nature, and driving life faster towards extinction.

But have no fear, COP is here! The UN climate talks (COP) are back for their 28th year. COP has a relentless history of failure, having become a place for greenwashing and under the table deals. But we’re sure this year will be great!

Here’s a taste of what’s behind the main international decision-making process on climate:
  • This year’s host, the UAE, planned to use its powerful role to strike oil and gas deals
  • UAE’s state oil company has the largest oil expansion plans of any company in the world. The UN has called fossil fuel expansion “insanity” which will “throw humanity’s future into question”
  • The person leading COP is the CEO of that very same oil company!
  • 636 lobbyists from the oil and gas industries were registered at COP last year
  • And yes, it was only two years ago when the world saw COP's President in tears over the catastrophic failures of the talks
A rock face with a yellow banner hanging down it, reading Climate on a cliff edge

Rishi will be feeling right at home this year, having vowed to “max out” the UK’s oil and gas reserves and watered down the UK’s net zero targets. We’re just glad he’s showing up at all as he was too busy to go to the UN's Climate Ambition Summit in New York.


It is clear that neither our leaders in the UK or internationally will act on the climate emergency. We must take action ourselves. Find an action near you.

Love and Rage,
XR UK

PS Learn more about COP here.

Sources

  1. UN, 2023 likely hottest year on record; further spike expected with El Niño, 8 Nov 2023
  2. BBC News, COP28: UAE planned to use climate talks to make oil deals, 27 Nov 2023 
  3. Guardian, Cop28 host UAE has world’s biggest climate-busting oil plans, data indicates, 15 Nov 2023 
  4. Guardian, ‘Insanity’: petrostates planning huge expansion of fossil fuels, says UN report, 8 Nov 2023
  5. COP28 website
  6. Global Witness, 636 fossil fuel lobbyists granted access to COP27, 10 Nov 2022
  7. BBC News, COP26: Alok Sharma fights back tears as Glasgow Climate Pact agreed, 13 Nov 2021
  8. Guardian, Dismay as Rishi Sunak vows to ‘max out’ UK fossil fuel reserves, 31 July 2023
  9. Reuters, Reaction to PM Sunak watering down Britain's climate goals, 20 Sept 2023 
  10. Guardian, UK absent from key international statement on climate action, 20 Sept 2023
 

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