COP28 Kicks Off with Launch of 'Loss and Damage' Fund Amid Fossil Fuel Controversy

The largest ever climate conference faces challenges in balancing national self-interests and the need for global collective action.

The 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) on climate change has begun in Dubai, marking the largest ever gathering of its kind.
The conference has started with the 'historic' launch of a 'loss and damage' fund to support countries affected by global warming, with initial pledges from the European Union and the United Arab Emirates.
The conference president, Sultan Al Jaber, who is also the CEO of the UAE's state-owned oil company, has called for fossil fuels to be included in any final climate agreement, sparking a potential showdown on the issue.
The conference will also conduct the first 'global stocktake' of countries' efforts to deal with climate change, expected to show that current progress is insufficient.
Despite the urgency of the climate crisis, the conference faces challenges in balancing national self-interests and the need for global collective action.