This may be the hottest year in 1,000 centuries. The 1.5C limit set by scientists to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change could be surpassedGone beyond something else. as early as next year. We are at a "momentous moment for climate policy", summarised one expert.¹ Some call it "do or die".

So you may be tempted to let out a sigh of relief that today marks the first day of the COP28 UN summit, which brings together delegatesPeople who represent groups or countries at conferences. from across the world to commit to mitigating the climate crisis. Surely, some good news must be on the horizon.

The summit will be attended by 167 world leaders, among them King Charles III. But there will be noticeable absences too, including US president Joe Biden and China's Xi Jinping.

You would do well not to get your hopes up, say some experts. The summit has been subject to condemnation following the announcement that it will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of the world's leading CO2 emitters.

It is not only the chosen host country sparking controversy. The UAE also appointed a divisiveCausing people to be split into groups that disagree with or oppose each other. figure to the essential role of COP28 president: oil executive Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, who is the head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

Some say the conflict of interest is obvious. "It's like putting the tobacco industry in charge of ending tobacco," said one European parliament member.²

Al Jaber is overseeing an expansion in ADNOC's oil and gas production at present, aiming to raise the company's capacity from four million barrels per day in 2022 to five million by 2027.

And though Al Jaber denies the claims, leaked briefing documents revealed that the UAE had planned to use the summit to discuss fossil fuels with 15 attending nations. The documents suggest that a series of meetings with representatives of various countries would be used to promote deals for the country's national oil and gas companies.³

Some describe it as absurdRidiculous.. The aim for the COP28 summit is to keep the long-term global temperature rise at 1.5C - a crucial aim to avoid the most fatal impacts of climate change. But whilst experts say that this will require a 43% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the UAE is expanding oil production to burst through this target.⁴

Further leaked documents have also revealed that meat companies and lobbyists are poised to present meat and dairy as "sustainable nutrition" at COP28. The dairy industry is responsible for 3.4% of global human-induced emissionsThings that are released, such as gases, as part of a process. E.g. greenhouse gases. - a higher share even than aviation.⁵

For some, a boycott is the only reasonable response. If we do not start taking climate change seriously, they say, we might as well throw in the towel.

Others say that boycotting the conference would be churlishRude and ungenerous.. After all, the summit could make great strides. Around 100 countries have voiced their support for an agreement to triple renewable energy capacity at the meeting, and to double the rate of energy efficiency gains by 2030.⁶

Yes: World authorities need to be made to take climate change seriously. This summit and the various conflicts of interests it has brought to the fore are an unforgivable absurdity that will go down in history.

No: The summit is the most important climate event of the year. Now, more than ever, it needs dissenting voices among the delegates who can stop malign forces from taking control over our actions on the climate.

Or... Instead of focusing on the delegates, we need to mobilise a sturdy protest movement to make it clear that we want unbiased voices on the climate who are looking out for the health of the environment, not lining their own pockets.