Women Rising for Nature-Based Solutions, Clean Energy Access and Loss and Damage Compensation

There’s been a question that has been on our minds and has subsequently grated our nerves these past few months: why wasn’t Mariam Almheiri appointed as COP28 President?

With her long-standing as an advocate for environmental and climate action, and her extensive experience in climate negotiation forums, she was, on paper, the most ideal candidate for this important role. Instead, Sultan Al Jaber was appointed to preside over the 2023 Climate Conference.

With a wide array of opinions and subsequent conversations around the UAE’s placement as one of the world’s top fossil fuel producers, it may have given professionals, activists and organisations in the climate and environmental industries hope if the COP28 president-designate was a strong advocate for a cleaner, safer and equitable environment for all. But instead, the process seems to have made the appointment based on a financial and profitable metric.

The deeper issue that emerges is that of gender disparity. For context, the UN’s Conference of the Parties (COP) has happened every year since 1995 – with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In all these years of governments and non-state actors coming together to discuss climate change and its vast effects on people and the environment, there have only been five women appointed as COP presidents. It’s been almost three decades. 

This shows that women are still being sidelined and excluded from climate negotiations and decisions. 

As a global campaign that has, since COP26 in 2021, outwardly advocated for women in all their diversity as climate leaders and decision makers, we are deeply concerned about the future of our planet. If the crucial role of women as knowledge hubs and leaders who drive change can’t be recognised by all UNFCCC member states, will we truly see progress in the need to save the planet? 

On Monday June 5th 2023 – World Environment Day, we published an open letter in solidarity with a group of women leaders from all regions around the world, demanding a firewall between the COP28 Presidency and the fossil fuel industry.

This Open Letter was featured on France 24 and on the Pat Mitchell Blog