COP28: What to expect and why it matters for the UK

The world's largest annual international gathering to discuss and take action on climate change takes place in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023. So with COP28 fast approaching, how will the outcome of the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference impact the UK climate policy framework? This was the topic for debate in our webinar and panel discussion on 23rd November 2023.

Chris Skidmore MP, Chair of the Independent Review of Net Zero and the former minister who signed the UK’s 2050 net zero commitment into law, was unable to join the webinar, but provided the following statement on the subject:

Key insights and discussion points

The webinar and panel discussion brought together a panel of leading climate change and COP experts.

• How do COPs and COP28 function?
• How important is the role of COP president?
• Can the UK still claim climate change leadership?
• Should carbon capture utilisation and storage play a role?

Our host and expert panel

The event was hosted by Dr Joshua Wells, the Principal Political Consultant for the environmental and climate change policy at Dods.

Before Dods, Josh was a Leverhulme Climate Justice Scholar and completed a PhD in Politics at the University of Reading on the ethics of geoengineering governance. Josh has published a number of news articles on COPs, pertaining to questions such as whether they are fair, just or even have value.

Josh was joined by four leading experts in climate change and COPs. Our panel will include:

• Professor Mark Maslin, Professor of Earth System Science at UCL
• Camilla Born, former Deputy Director of Strategy in the COP26 team, and Chair of Trustees for Climate Outreach
• Dustin Benton, Policy Director at Green Alliance and former Chief Analytical Advisor of the National Food Strategy for Defra.

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