Opinion Today: A climate conference’s startling, self-defeating contradictions

Too many ironies, too little time.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 8, 2023 By Eliza Barclay Climate Editor, Opinion The many ironies of this year's United Nations climate meeting have not been lost on anyone. The world's seventh-largest oil-producing country, the United Arab Emirates, is hosting it. That country's top oil executive is presiding over it. It's happening at the end of the hottest year on record, during which the United States alone faced at least 25 climate and weather disasters costing over $1 billion apiece. The United Arab Emirates, a small Gulf state that has grown very rich from oil and gas production, has drawn an estimated 84,000 people to Dubai for COP28, the annual two-week summit where world leaders discuss their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris agreement. Many activists and experts trying to influence the talks in Dubai say that the most important outcome of the conference would be an agreement for the world to phase out fossil fuels. As Alex Simon writes in a guest essay this week, it's a striking ask and perhaps a tall order. Not only is the U.A.E. seeking to prolong the wealth it derives from selling oil and gas, it is also trying to brand itself as a world leader in sustainability. The U.A.E. is not the only brazen actor here, Simon argues, pointing to the United States's own climate culpability and that of the U.A.E.'s neighbor Saudi Arabia. And that, he writes, "ought to be forcing the American policymakers working toward global climate solutions to confront a pressing question: How can we push petrostates to move faster on decarbonization when we're moving too slowly ourselves?" Read the guest essay: Sam Whitney/The New York Times Guest Essay In Dubai, a 'Good Vibes Only' Approach to Climate Change As the climate crisis grows ever more urgent, the U.A.E. is championing a dangerously seductive approach to the problem. By Alex Simon Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Politicians Used to Feel Shame Over Their Scandals. Not Anymore. Are sex, money and hypocrisy enough to end a political career these days? By Michelle Cottle, Ross Douthat, Carlos Lozada and Lydia Polgreen More From Opinion Farah STockman You Can't Fix Immigration While Holding Ukraine Hostage There is a bipartisan way to fix the asylum system and still provide aid to Ukraine. That's not what Republicans want. By Farah Stockman Paul Krugman The Progressive Case for Bidenomics Don't let the perfect get in the way of the coulda been worse. 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By 'The Ezra Klein Show' Guest Essay The Power of Faith at 1 a.m. The modern world's true cultural divide is not between believers and unbelievers but between those who think life is a puzzle and those who believe it's a mystery. By Christopher Beha Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT letters The College Presidents and the 'Genocide' Question Responses to the college presidents' comments at a House hearing. Also: Rape of Israeli women; Norman Lear and Archie Bunker; air traffic controllers; failure in Darfur. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. 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