On 8 October 2028, incoming President of the upcoming COP28 climate talks in Dubai, Sultan Al Jaber, called for governments to abandon “fantasies” such as hastily ditching existing energy infrastructure in pursuit of climate goals. During the opening session of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Climate Week Sultan, Al Jaber stated: “we cannot unplug the energy system of today before we build the new system of tomorrow. It is simply not practical or possible.” He supported this by arguing “we must separate facts from fiction, reality from fantasies, impact from ideology, and we must ensure that we avoid the traps of division and distraction.”
