My Personal Observations from COP28

The COP venue comprised two distinct zones: the Blue Zone, reserved for accredited delegates (which AIA was) and where the official business is conducted, and the Green Zone, accessible to the public. Published statistics indicate that over 500,000 attended the Blue and Green Zones over the two weeks. Although my experiences were confined to the Green Zone, the opportunities for engagement were extensive. It was like being at 3-4 AIA conferences simultaneously.

My focus centered on topics such as the impact of climate on health, renewable energy research, and emerging technologies, yielding several key takeaways:

• Countries globally commit to “1.5 Alive”, striving to keep the world’s average temperature within 1.5 degrees Celsius of preindustrial levels. Achieving this requires a 40% reduction in global emissions over the next six years.
• Not only is there a focus on renewable energy, but research and exploration into forward thinking technologies such as solar fields in space and carbon sequestration strategies.  
• There were important conversations around nuclear fusion, including the possibilities for autonomous power sources including for individual homes.  
• The electric grid is one of the most limiting factors to energy distribution. And, with the advancements in hydrogen power, a gas grid needs to be established.  
• Dialogues centered on using analytics and AI for precise predictions of geographic impacts due to severe weather conditions, aiding in saving lives and reducing property destruction.     
• The refugee crisis continues to escalate unprecedented needs for housing and basic essentials.  Companies are aiding in this through quickly deployable emergency housing units. One company stated they have deployed over 90,000 emergency housing units.  
• The cost of climate change is a significant topic. There is little agreement on paying for the destruction caused by weather events, or investment in new technologies to mitigate climate change. New financial methodologies need to be established.
• Yet, with all the promising advancements, one presenter noted that there are 200 coal plants under construction in China.

Climate impacts have no boundaries, and the complexities are limitless. We truly are all in this together and the level of intellect and ambition going toward solving climate issues are impressive.

The primary reason for visiting Dubai was COP28, but there were so many other amazing experiences to be had.  We visited the Museum of the Future, toured Masdar City which was designed to be a sustainable eco-city, and went to Abu Dhabi driving by the Saadiyat Cultural District which includes the Louvre, Zayed National Museum, and other significant architectural projects.

Additionally, I had the privilege of meeting a US architect overseeing the Middle East operations of an international firm. He shared interesting information about the region, including the fact that most of the buildings in Dubai are less than 25 years old. There are older areas, but the extensive city Dubai has become is new, including the well-known Palm. I also learned there is a second airport being planned and construction of the Dubia Creek Tower, set to surpass the Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building. The dense urban area around the marina showcased impressive high-rise buildings, complemented by Dubai’s efficient metro system.

On our last night in Dubai, we had dinner with AIA leadership attending the conference. Engaging in lively discussions, we explored the leadership and innovation architects can contribute to the evolving climate conversation. Attending COP28 solidified my belief that architects can significantly and positively impact the built and natural environments.

(These observations are written with the awareness of the human rights issues associated with the UAE and construction of Expo City and are only intended to share my personal experiences while in the UAE.)