EVENT | COP28 Left: Dubai, in the UAE, was the venue for COP28 After attending COP28, Hoare Leas Ashley Bateson FCIBSE is more acutely aware than ever of the need to avoid fossil fuels, embrace biodiversity and focus on performance INSPIRING ACTION F or two weeks last month, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) played host to 90,000 visitors for the annual UN climate change conference (COP). In the various meeting rooms, pavilions and plenary halls at Dubai Expo City, people sought to share insights, participate in discussions and negotiate strategies to lessen the effects of, and adapt to, climate change. COP28 provided an impressive platform for a vast range of stakeholders from scientists, policymakers, energy companies and experts, to nongovernmental organisations and groups representing marginalised communities. In the various halls and meeting rooms, I found there was universal agreement for the need to limit global warming, but also disagreement about how to achieve this. It was an overwhelming experience, as there was so much to take stock of, and much to be gained from dialogue with others. land, water and air pollution that is detrimentally impacting local agriculture and businesses. The role of nature in mitigating the climate crisis was the topic of a session with Professor Nathalie Seddon, director of the Nature-based Solutions Initiative in the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford, and Dr Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England. Seddon said that not only can increasing biodiversity improve microclimatic conditions and climate adaptation, but green infrastructure can also provide co-benefits for peoples mental and physical health. Juniper added that more needed to be done to reconnect Western societies with nature and said education could raise appreciation of the benefits of incorporating nature into developments. At other sessions, representatives from banking, pensions and insurance funds acknowledged that more needs to be done in Triple crises Several speakers at COP28 highlighted the triple crises the planet is facing: climate change, global pollution, and biodiversity loss. There is an international perspective to this, as pointed out in various talks, with representatives from some regions highlighting how they are particularly affected. Indigenous communities in South America emphasised the continued deforestation on their continent, with consequences for their traditional lifestyles and loss of animal and plant species. Meanwhile, among African countries, representatives from Nigeria outlined how oil extraction has caused 24 January 2024 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Jan 24 pp24-25 COP28 Ashley Bateson.indd 24 Ashley Bateson (left) with author of the Independent Review of Net Zero, Chris Skidmore and journalist Terry Slavin (right) 21/12/2023 17:52