Dear Honorable Members of the Danish Government,
We are writing to raise concerns about the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) appointment of Dr. Thani Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi as President of COP28, set to be held in 2023. The appointment of Dr. Al-Zeyoudi, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, has raised concerns among environmentalists and climate activists worldwide, given the UAE’s poor record on climate change and environmental issues.
Climate change is one of the most significant challenges of our time. As the world continues to grapple with the effects of global warming, international cooperation and collaboration have become more critical than ever. The Conference of Parties (COP) is one such international platform where countries come together to discuss climate change and take action to address the issue. However, the credibility of the COP depends on the leadership and commitment of the host country. Unfortunately, in the case of COP28, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has appointed an individual who is unfit for the role, and therefore, Denmark should not host the summit under these conditions.
Dr. Thani Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, has been appointed as President of COP28, set to be held in 2023. The appointment has raised concerns among environmentalists and climate activists around the world, given the UAE’s poor record on climate change and environmental issues. The UAE is one of the world’s largest producers of oil and gas and has been accused of obstructing efforts to tackle climate change in the past. The country has also failed to set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions or transitioning to renewable energy sources.
Given the UAE’s poor track record, it is clear that Dr. Al-Zeyoudi is not fit to lead the COP28 summit. Hosting the summit under his leadership would send a message that the international community is willing to prioritize the interests of the oil and gas industry over the environment and the fight against climate change. In this article, we will explore why Dr. Al-Zeyoudi is unfit for the role and why Denmark should refuse to host the summit unless the UAE removes him from his position.
Dr. Al-Zeyoudi’s track record
Under Dr. Al-Zeyoudi’s leadership as the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, the country has failed to take significant action to tackle climate change. Instead, the UAE has continued to prioritize its oil and gas industry at the expense of the environment. In 2019, the country ranked 33rd out of 60 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index, indicating its poor performance in addressing climate change.
One of the major concerns is the UAE’s reliance on fossil fuels, which has led to the country having one of the highest per capita carbon footprints in the world. According to the World Bank, the UAE’s per capita carbon emissions were 22.2 metric tons in 2018, much higher than the global average of 4.8 metric tons. The country’s continued investment in the oil and gas industry has also undermined its efforts to transition to renewable energy sources. Despite setting a target of generating 27% of its energy from clean sources by 2021, the country has been slow to invest in renewables, and its progress towards this target has been sluggish.
Moreover, the UAE has been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability when it comes to climate change. The country has not submitted updated climate pledges since 2015, and its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement is not in line with the goals of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The country has also been accused of obstructing progress in international climate negotiations, particularly in discussions around fossil fuel subsidies.
Dr. Al-Zeyoudi’s role in the UAE’s poor record
As the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Al-Zeyoudi bears significant responsibility for the country’s poor record on climate change. Under his leadership, the country has continued to prioritize the oil and gas industry at the expense of the environment, and its progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been slow.
Dr. Al-Zeyoudi has also been criticized for his lack of commitment to addressing climate change. He has made several statements that suggest he does not fully appreciate the urgency of the issue. In 2018, he stated that climate change was “not a priority” for the UAE, as the country was focused on economic growth. This statement sent a worrying message to the international community, suggesting that the UAE was not willing to take meaningful action on climate change.
Furthermore, Dr. Al-Zeyoudi has been accused of promoting false solutions to climate change. For example, in 2017, he praised carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology as a solution to climate change, even though the technology is not yet commercially viable on a large scale. CCS has been criticized by climate activists as a “false solution” to climate change, as it allows the continued burning of fossil fuels, which is the root cause of the problem.
Dr. Al-Zeyoudi’s appointment as President of COP28 raises serious concerns about the credibility of the summit. It sends a message that the UAE, a country with a poor record on climate change, is being rewarded with a prestigious leadership role, despite its lack of commitment to the issue. Furthermore, Dr. Al-Zeyoudi’s statements and actions suggest that he is not the right person to lead a summit on climate change, as he does not fully appreciate the urgency of the issue and has promoted false solutions in the past.
Why Denmark should refuse to host the summit
Given Dr. Al-Zeyoudi’s poor track record and his unsuitability for the role of President of COP28, Denmark should refuse to host the summit unless the UAE removes him from his position. Hosting the summit under his leadership would undermine the credibility of the COP and send a message that the international community is not serious about tackling climate change.
Denmark has a strong record on climate change and has been a leader in the transition to renewable energy sources. It has set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and has invested heavily in wind energy, making it a fitting host for the COP. However, hosting the summit under the leadership of Dr. Al-Zeyoudi would be a significant step backward in the fight against climate change.
Furthermore, Denmark has a responsibility to ensure that the COP is a platform for meaningful action on climate change. Allowing an individual with a poor track record on the issue to lead the summit would be a betrayal of this responsibility. Denmark should refuse to host the summit unless the UAE removes Dr. Al-Zeyoudi from his position and appoints a more suitable candidate.
The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) strongly urges Denmark not to host the COP28 summit under the leadership of the current President, Dr. Thani Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi. The UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade has been criticized for his lack of commitment to addressing climate change, which makes him unfit for the role.
Dr. Al-Zeyoudi’s statements and actions suggest that he does not fully appreciate the urgency of the issue and has promoted false solutions in the past. This raises serious concerns about the credibility of the summit and the commitment of the UAE to tackling climate change. The NYCFPA believes that hosting the summit under his leadership would undermine the credibility of the COP and send a message that the international community is not serious about tackling climate change.
Denmark has a strong record on climate change and has been a leader in the transition to renewable energy sources. It has set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and has invested heavily in wind energy, making it a fitting host for the COP. However, hosting the summit under the leadership of Dr. Al-Zeyoudi would be a significant step backward in the fight against climate change.
The NYCFPA believes that Denmark has a responsibility to ensure that the COP is a platform for meaningful action on climate change. Allowing an individual with a poor track record on the issue to lead the summit would be a betrayal of this responsibility. Denmark should refuse to host the summit unless the UAE removes Dr. Al-Zeyoudi from his position and appoints a more suitable candidate.
Hosting the summit under Dr. Al-Zeyoudi’s leadership would undermine the credibility of the COP and send a message that the international community is not serious about tackling climate change. As a country that has been a leader in environmental initiatives, Denmark must take a stand and refuse to host COP28 under these conditions.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs.
