Local Perspectives on COP28

By: Zoraiz Zafar '25

The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UNFCCC, hosted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, stood as a controversial beacon in the ongoing global dialogue on climate change. The city, renowned for its opulent skyscrapers and oil wealth, seemed an incongruous setting for a summit focused on environmental sustainability. This juxtaposition was not lost on the various attendees, nor on the local populace, whose perspectives on such mega-events revealed layers of complexity often overshadowed in the grand narrative of global conferences.

As a member of the Colorado College student delegation at COP28, I had the unique opportunity to engage with a diverse array of individuals in Dubai, from UAE nationals to the vast number of immigrant workers who form the backbone of the city's workforce. Dubai, a city that has grown synonymous with grandiosity, has played host to numerous high-profile events like Expo 2020 and now COP28, each leaving a significant imprint on the city's socio-economic landscape.

During my travels through Dubai, conversations with rideshare drivers, predominantly South Asian immigrants, were particularly enlightening. One driver, Mohammad Irfan, a veteran of 24 years in the UAE, shared his apprehensions about the nation hosting COP28. He pointed out the irony of such a summit in a city built largely by migrant labor, labor underpinned by laws that afforded them little in the way of rights or pathways to citizenship. His story was a poignant reminder of the broader societal issues that grand events like COP28 often inadvertently overshadow. 

In the hospitality sector too, the sentiment was similar. Workers like Gooma, an Egyptian immigrant at Atana Hotel, expressed a sense of weariness. To them, events like COP28 had become routine, escalating workloads but seldom bringing substantial change to their lives or addressing the systemic issues they face daily. Their narratives highlighted a disconnect between the high-level environmental discourse and the ground realities of those who keep the city running.

This sentiment of skepticism was further echoed during the U-19 Asia Cup final at the Dubai Cricket Stadium. Conversing with Bangladeshi immigrant workers, many of whom were employed in the UAE's oil and gas sector, I sensed a prevailing cynicism about the efficacy of conferences like COP28. Their doubts stemmed from a perceived lack of tangible outcomes from such gatherings, a skepticism born from observing a series of grand declarations with minimal impact on the ground. 

Reflecting on these interactions, it becomes apparent that while global conferences like COP28 are pivotal in addressing climate change, they often risk becoming detached from the lived experiences of the local populations. The voices of UAE nationals and migrant workers alike underscore a crucial aspect often missed in the macroscopic view of global issues – the micro, human element. Their perspectives serve as a reminder that the success of such events should not only be measured in terms of policy declarations and international agreements but also in how they resonate with and impact the local populace.

In conclusion, the hosting of COP28 in Dubai, while symbolically significant, brings to light the importance of incorporating local perspectives in the global environmental dialogue. The conversations with residents of Dubai, both nationals and immigrants, reveal an underlying current of skepticism – a sentiment that mega-events, for all their grandeur, often miss addressing the immediate concerns and realities of the host city’s inhabitants. As we continue to convene on the world stage to tackle pressing global issues, it is essential to remember that sometimes, zooming out too much ends up detracting from reality. The true measure of such events lies not only in their global impact but also in their ability to resonate with and positively affect the lives of those in their immediate shadow.