Mary Robinson accuses Saudi Arabia of holding COP28 talks ‘hostage’

Mary Robinson accuses Saudi Arabia of holding COP28 talks ‘hostage’

The Chair of the Elders Mary Robinson has accused Saudi Arabia and its allies of holding the COP28 climate talks hostage.

She said she fears the summit is falling short of what is required to stay within the 1.5 degree Celsius warming threshold.

Mrs Robinson said she is calling on countries with the capacity to ensure the outcome of this summit is historic, for the right reasons, to lean in now with ambition and urgency.

She said the nations thwarting progress are those with the greatest stakes in fossil fuels but also the most plentiful resources to act.

However, she also said that Saudi Arabia is not the only country hindering progress.

She accused the USA, China, the EU, and India of being happy to hide in the shadows.

“There is still time for these countries to step up with the courageous leadership required to tackle this existential threat,” she added.

She said governments must not leave COP28 without an agreement to phase out all fossil fuels and this agreement must not be at the expense of other critical work at the summit.

COP28 focus turns to food, agriculture and water

Food, agriculture, and water are the themes today at COP28 with a focus on how increasingly erratic weather caused by climate change is jeopardising food security for millions of people.

There is a focus on the need to prioritise sustainable farming practices and invest in innovation to provide healthy food for all.

The Irish Farmers’ Association has been in Dubai for some days in preparation.

However, IFA President Tim Cullinan said he is concerned that not enough attention is really be given to the issue in the proposed final text.

He said he wants to see acknowledgment of what Irish farmers have done already to reduce greenhouse emissions and what they are currently doing.

Minister For Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, who is also at COP28, said climate and the environment has to be central to how agriculture in Ireland evolves and that Irish farmers are playing their part.

Last week, on the third day of talks, a total of 134 world leaders signed a historic declaration for more climate-resilient food systems and sustainable food production.

This served to underscore the importance of food in tackling the climate crisis.

Food production is major source of greenhouse gas emissions and how to feed the world while radically reducing emissions has always been a highly contentious issue.

This is particularly so the case in Ireland, which produces nine times more beef than it eats, and where methane from livestock is one of the main contributors to national greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr McConalogue said he will tell the story of Irish farmers and talk about what the sector is doing to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint in Ireland.

He said the summit is a great opportunity to engage with other countries, to ensure that food systems are sustainable in the years ahead, and that food is very much central in climate action.

He pointed out that this is the first time ever that agriculture and sustainable food systems are a key part of the climate discussions.