COP28 Climate Summit What to Know Predicting Progress on Emissions The U.A.E.’s Dilemmas Who Is Sultan Al Jaber? Climate F.A.Q.

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       Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition

       Wednesday Briefing: What to Watch at the U.N. Climate Talks

       Plus how New Zealand’s Maori Wardens keep the peace.

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       By Justin Porter

       Published Nov. 28, 2023Updated Nov. 30, 2023

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       Credit...Alanah Sarginson

       The U.N. climate summit starts tomorrow Two facts loom over the COP28 U.N. climate talks, which begin tomorrow in Dubai: Earth is careening toward climate disaster, and governments are acting too slowly to avert it.

       Diplomats from nearly 200 countries, and many heads of state and government, will gather to try to draft a plan to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. The United Arab Emirates, the world’s fifth-largest oil producer, is hosting COP28, drawing the anger of activists. The conference is taking place against a backdrop of wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, making international cooperation even more difficult.

       For some insight, I reached out to my colleague Lisa Friedman, who is covering the annual conference for the 12th time.

       What will you be watching this time around?

       Lisa: There are a number of important things set to take place, including a global assessment of how successful nations have been in meeting the climate targets they set in Paris in 2015; and finalizing the details of a new fund to help vulnerable countries cope with the loss and damage caused by global warming. But the big thing I’ll have my eye on is the political agreement nations are debating around phasing out fossil fuels. Fossil fuel burning is the main driver of climate change, but so far nations have been unwilling to collectively call for a phase-out.

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       Justin Porter is an editor on the Briefings newsletter team at The Times. More about Justin Porter

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