Cop28 is well underway in Dubai and events like these spark questions about what communities are doing to tackle climate change.
The oil rich city is a controversial location for the climate summit to take place. Dubai is a city that is heavily financed by fossil fuel companies so it could be considered a counter-intuitive place to hold a climate change conference.
This year's climate conference has three main points of discussion.
Firstly, the phasing out and reducing the rates of fossil fuels around the world.
Secondly, strengthening the planet's strategies to cope with the already existing impacts of climate change.
Lastly, the last and probably most talked about point is the discussion of financial support for vulnerable communities that have experienced climate disasters that they played no part in causing.
Greenpeace Portsmouth representative, James expressed his distrust in the potential outcomes of cop28. When asked for his thoughts on this year's conference, James began by explaining how Dubai was an inappropriate place for the climate change conference to take place because Dubai is one of the largest producers of oil and fossil fuels in the world, he said: ‘It is being hosted in a nation literally built on fossil fuel money.’
He continued by explaining how events like Cop28 are more of a display for the public and are used to instil a level of trust in the public that the world leaders are trying to fix the climate emergency rather than effectively solve the issues . It is almost as if these kinds of events are for show, as little as has been achieved in all 28 that have taken place. There have been bold statements including the Paris Agreement but nothing monumental has taken place as a result in the last few years.
Greenpeace is a climate change organisation and charity that raises awareness on the way that the planet is struggling with climate change.
Portsmouth City Council announced a climate emergency in 2019 and made the bold claim that the city would be net zero by 2030. This is 20 years earlier than what the UK government expects from local authorities. Greenpeace representative, James discussed how Portsmouth has been proactive when it comes to some aspects of climate change. This could mainly be because of the city's vulnerability to rising sea levels.
This is partly due to the fact that the city is on an island. Portsmouth city council spent millions on protecting those who live in the city from the rising sea levels. They did this by building sea defences. The Portsmouth City Council is also keen to encourage the use of electric vehicles. The city has around 98 electric car chargers around for public use. These kinds of adaptations to the city will help reduce the carbon footprint of the city and make being eco-conscious more accessible to residents.
To broaden the understanding of how climate change is affecting the city. I spoke to residents of the city about what they think we can do to slow down the rate of climate change and reach the council’s target of being net zero by 2030.
I spoke to Jamie, 18 who works in a supermarket about his understanding of the climate change actions in portsmouth. When asked if the country is doing enough to end climate change, Jamie said: ‘A lot more can be done and climate change is not talked about enough in the city.’
He continued by discussing how more awareness needs to be made about the council’s plans on reducing the city's carbon footprint and how individuals can reduce their carbon footprint whilst living or visiting Portsmouth.
For the majority of those who live in Portsmouth, climate change is only really discussed when events like Cop28 hit the headlines. These large conferences involving world leaders can seem daunting given that they are trying to determine what is best for the planet.
Adriana Thompson, 21 who works in fashion said: ‘We as a society should be more eco-conscious and be more considerate about the way that we treat the planet.’ She continued by explaining how we should make more thoughtful choices when it comes to what we eat and what we wear and avoid things like greenwashing.
In regards to the way Portsmouth has been changing to slow the effects of climate change, Adriana commented on the nature of waste disposal.
Portsmouth has a reputation for having a difficult to navigate waste disposal system. Particularly when it comes to recycling. The specific nature of this could almost ‘Act as a deterrent,’ Said Adriana for people trying to do the right thing and recycle.
There have been some major considerations and improvements to the city. It appears that there is still a long way to go before the city becomes net zero and environmentally friendly in a sustainable way for its residents to abide by.
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