Reflections from my experience at COP28
Mabel Wantim, University of Buea, Cameroon
On the 11th of September, 2023, at 6:11 pm Cameroon time, my journey to COP28 began with an email from the CARP coordinators at the University of Arizona, informing me that I was one of the two privileged CARP members selected to attend the global climate change conference in Dubai, UAE. The news filled me with joy, as this would be my first COP ever and I was so happy that this great opportunity had been offered to me! However, alongside my excitement, I also felt some anxiety, especially when Prof. Ayonghe (the coordinator of PERI PERI U at the University of Buea) formally shared the news about my selection with other CARP researchers, faculty members, and the Vice Chancellor at UB. As congratulatory messages poured in, I started to realize the magnitude of the task ahead. Questions raced through my mind: Am I up to the task as an ambassador of the CARP community, PERI PERI U, and the Universities of Buea and Arizona? Will I meet the expectations of my sponsors? What challenges await me as a first-time COP attendee?
Soon, Juma (the CARP ambassador from Uganda) and I started receiving numerous emails linking us with other participants who we could potentially engage with at COP28. We also had several online meetings where we discussed our planned activities at the conference with our sponsors. I felt a mounting level of tension as the final plans were pulled together and I prepared for my travel to the UAE. I arrived in Dubai in the early hours of the morning on the 28th of November, 2023. Finally, as I checked in to my hotel, I began to feel all the worry and panic dissipate. I was captivated by the beauty of the city - it took my breath away; Dubai was unlike any city I had ever seen!
The following day, November 29th, Juma and I met for breakfast at the hotel. We shared our excitement and together developed a roadmap for the day ahead. Everything went smoothly, except for a small mishap at the metro station where we took the wrong train. Luckily, we realized our mistake after the first stop and made it to the Dubai EXPO Centre where we needed to register for the conference.
Breakfast at Hilton Hotel Dubai with Juma Said
At the EXPO Centre, I found myself standing in a long queue for registration, which took nearly four hours due to the overwhelming crowd of approximately 85,000 attendees. Despite the wait, I was glad to obtain my Observer badge, which granted me access to both the Blue and Green Zones at the conference ground. The size of the EXPO Centre amazed me, it seemed about equivalent to an entire residential neighborhood in my home city, Buea. I was relieved to see that there were buggies provided for transportation around the massive conference, but I soon realized they were mostly reserved for diplomatic personnel and statesmen. As a result, I often walked several kilometers between zones, which, though exhausting, provided good exercise and ended up being an enjoyable experience.
The next few days (30th November to 6th December, 2023) were a blur of hectic activity as the conference entered full swing. I attended numerous climate sessions and side events, visited various pavilions, especially those hosting African nations, and met key contacts who we had been previously connected with over email and text by the CARP coordinators at the University of Arizona. These contacts included Sarah Charles from USAID and Addesou Kossivi from the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR).
Myself (L) and Juma Said (R) meeting Sarah Charles from USAID
With Addesou Kossivi (L) and Juma Said (R) from GNDR after a session on loss and damage at the Humanitarian Hub
Having a discussion at the Cameroon Pavilion
Talking to Hons. Esenu and Abaed Bwanika from the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture at the Uganda Pavilion
With the Dean of UB’s Faculty of Science at the COP28 Expo Centre
These sessions and side events were filled with interesting and important content. One of the most valuable outcomes of these discussions was a historic agreement on the operationalization of the loss and damage fund and funding arrangements, which was adopted on the first day of COP28. I found it interesting to learn that many countries were off track in meeting their Paris Agreement goals, and that over 31 countries pledged more funding to resolve climate change issues. This seemed important in the context of increasing climate-induced disasters, and the rising need for adaptation measures in many affected sectors. One major challenge that I experienced was the limited access for COP28 observers like myself, as we were not allowed to attend certain sessions and side events, including those where major decisions were made.
Attending a session on the deliberation of the Paris Agreement
A significant highlight for me was being a panelist at a side event on 'Healthy soils for land and climate,' which was held on the 5th December at the Land and Drought Pavilion in the Blue Zone. Organized by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the panel discussion attracted a diverse audience. My presentation focused on the impact of land degradation and climate change on Irish Potato yields in the North West Region of Cameroon over the last 30 years, and proposed measures for achieving healthy soils and climate neutrality. Thanks to Juma, the CARP community was able to follow this session live from the link he shared on our WhatsApp forum.
COP28 was not all work and no play, as I made sure to spend some time exploring sites such as the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) and an aquarium at the Dubai Mall. I also made some interesting observations and discoveries during my stay in Dubai. For instance, there were compartments exclusively reserved for females in metros, and I noted the significantly higher prices of goods, taxis, and food compared to my home country and other African and European countries I had visited.
At Burj Khalifa
At an aquarium at the Dubai Mall
Women’s Hall of Fame at the COP28 Expo Centre
Lunch with Juma and some Zimbabwean climate activists
Exploring the touristic section at the Dubai Expo Centre with Mona from the University of Arizona
In front of the Malawi Pavilion
Meeting Ms. Earth at the Expo Centre
COP28 ended with an agreement signaling the "beginning of the end" of the fossil fuel era. Although the agreement was signed by many parties, it remains to be seen whether it is implemented. Overall, the conference was an educational and eye-opening experience, and I am grateful to the CARP project for this opportunity. I also applaud the UAE for hosting such a wonderful event. I hope I lived up to the expectations of my sponsors and represented the CARP Community and the University of Buea well. This event marks a milestone in my career, and I plan to fully utilize this experience going forward.