Civil rights groups question UAE’s human rights, climate policies in run-up to COP28

In a joint statement, human rights groups urge governments to use COP28 to highlight human rights violations in the UAE, which affect six different sectors

LONDON – Amnesty International and more than 200 other civil society groups have called on governments to review both the human rights and climate policies of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The UAE is hosting the 28th U.N Climate Change summit called COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.

The joint statement highlights the relationship between climate justice and human rights.

It calls on governments to use COP28 to highlight human rights violations in the UAE, which affect six different sectors.

In response, the UAE has rejected these allegations and ensured that all COP28 participants can protest peacefully.

Earlier, in August, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for the release of human rights defenders before the start of COP28.

HRW noted that 58 activists remain detained in the UAE.

The Palestinian National Committee BDS has also called for a boycott of COP28 to put pressure on the UAE.

The statement highlights not only the UAE’s human rights problems, but also the country’s “greenwashing” attempts and its plans to increase oil and gas production.

 COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber, who is also CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, is cited as a potential conflict of interest.

This dual role has been controversial since May 2023, prompting lawmakers in the U.S. and EU to push for Sultan al-Jaber’s withdrawal from his post at COP28.