Human Rights Watch is calling on participants attending the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai on December 30, 2023, to address two critical issues: the repression of independent civil society in the host country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the imperative to commit to phasing out fossil fuels.

Repression of Civil Society

Human Rights Watch urges attending governments to confront the UAE, the conference’s host, regarding its suppression of independent civil society voices. The organization stresses that meaningful climate action necessitates active participation from these voices, including those advocating for reducing fossil fuel usage. The UAE has a troubling history of targeting human rights defenders and political dissidents, with notable figures such as Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent rights defender, being imprisoned on questionable charges since 2017. The UAE has also been criticized for arresting its critics and denying access to the country for international experts, researchers, academics, and journalists who have spoken out against UAE’s human rights violations.

Fossil Fuel Phaseout

Human Rights Watch also emphasize the alarming rise in global greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from the consumption of oil, coal, and gas, contributing significantly to global warming. This trend directly contradicts the commitments made by governments, including the UAE, under the Paris Agreement, aiming to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Human Rights Watch emphasizes the urgent need for a firm commitment to phasing out fossil fuels, highlighting it as a critical step in the battle against climate change.

“The UAE government should immediately and unconditionally release arbitrarily detained activists and human rights defenders, and commit to upholding human rights before, during and after the conference,” said Richard Pearshouse, environment director at Human Rights Watch. “We’re not going to achieve the robust climate policies the world so desperately needs unless governments start listening to civil society, including activists.”