ENAR at COP28: Anti-Racism and Decolonial Insights from This Year’s Climate Talks
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 2-8 2023 – Last week, the global leaders and the climate community convened at COP28 to address the pressing challenges of the climate crisis. As an official COP observer, ENAR brought a crucial message to the forefront of climate discussions: ‘No climate justice without racial justice!’
At ENAR, we firmly believe that racial injustice must become an integral facet of the global climate agenda. Through our observer status at COP, ENAR Policy Advisor on Climate and Economic Justice Magda Boulabiza and ENAR member Inès Seddiki (GHETT’UP) brought our anti-racist and decolonial approaches to climate justice to the heart of high-level climate discussions.
True climate justice is unattainable when critical voices are silenced —an issue sharply underscored by the alarming human rights record of the United Arab Emirates, the host of this year’s COP. This is why we leveraged our presence at COP28 to carve up space for social justice and human rights voices in climate governance.
Here are our key anti-racism and decolonial insights from COP28:
Demanding Contributions to the Loss & Damage Fund
ENAR joined a civil society action to #FillTheFund, emphasising the urgent need for meaningful contributions to the Loss & Damage Fund. While the fund was established on the first day of COP28 to support climate-vulnerable countries, its current value, amounting to hundreds of millions, falls drastically short of the estimated $400bn in losses these countries face each year. Joining climate reparations advocates, ENAR underscored the importance of meeting this financial commitment to repair the climate damage caused by the Global North.
Amplifying Indigenous Voices at the Indigenous Peoples Dialogue
Joining the Indigenous Peoples Dialogue, ENAR actively listened to the concerns of frontline communities. As ENAR’s anti-racism advocacy delves into the racist roots and consequences of the climate crisis, such first-hand narratives of the appropriation of Indigenous lives and lands for profit importantly shape our advocacy at the EU level, providing valuable insights into the racist implications of climate policies.
Strengthening Alliances: Together for the Decolonisation of Climate Politics
We were thrilled to connect with a strong ENAR community at COP28 and forge new alliances for the decolonisation of climate governance, action, and politics. We welcome the growing chorus of voices calling for racial justice in climate talks and look forward to continuing the collective pursuit of an equitable global response to climate disruption.
