Yet More Moral Leadership

The Cop28 international summit on climate change is to be held in Dubai: a piece of venue-oriented symbolism comparable with holding a summit on preventing child abuse at the Vatican or an anti-corruption summit in Westminster, and undoubtedly destined to produce the usual glorious results. The sultan of the United Arab Emirates (and, by a coincidence of which the Conservatives doubtless approve, also head of the national oil company) favours "phasing down" over "phasing out" fossil fuels, which presumably translates to doing slightly less than the present less-than-nothing. Fortunately Alok Sharma, the presiding nonentity at Cop26, lectured the little people and lesser breeds that "it would be a significant achievement, and a win for people and the planet, if at Cop28 the world agreed to consign fossil fuels to history," a whole month after his boss Fishy Rishi pledged to maximise their use: an example of British forthrightness which will doubtless help matters no end.