The Climate Question

Should the UAE host a big climate summit?

11.27.2023 - By BBC World ServicePlay

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As the world’s attention turns to this year’s COP summit in the UAE, questions remain about the host country and conference president. It’s not the first time that an oil-producing country has hosted the climate change summit. But some environmental campaigners are unhappy about COP28 being held in the United Arab Emirates, and the choice of conference president, Dr. Sultan Al-Jaber – the CEO of the national oil company, ADNOC. However, supporters say that the country is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, so it has as much of a right to host the conference as anyone else. Meanwhile, Dr Al-Jaber boasts considerable experience working in renewables – having previously run the UAE’s renewable energy company MASDAR. So what’s really going on? To find out more, presenter Graihagh Jackson is joined by: Sam Fenwick, presenter of the BBC World Service programme ‘Business Daily’

Fiona Harvey, Environment editor at The Guardian

Zeina Khalil Hajj, Head of Global Campaigning and Organising at 350.org

Mia Moisio, climate policy expert at New Climate Institute and Climate Action Tracker Producer: Ben Cooper

Researchers: Shorouk Elkobrosi and Octavia Woodward

Series Producer: Simon Watts

Editor: China Collins

Sound engineer: Tom Brignell

Production co-ordinators: Jacqui Johnson and Sophie Hill

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