Refugees to receive solar cookers... thanks to Chief Minister's trip to COP28 in Dubai

Monday 04 December 2023

Emissions from senior Ministers’ return flights to Dubai for a climate change conference will be offset through donations to various projects, including those which provide solar cookers for refugees and carry out landfill gas extraction.

Chief Minister Kristina Moore and Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf are this week representing Jersey at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai.

Islanders levied criticism at the pair on social media over the weekend, including former States member Ben Shenton, who wrote: "In terms of population Jersey is slightly smaller than the town of Wakefield in Yorkshire. We are sending two Ministers plus back-up staff to the COP Summit in Dubai to join other influential world leaders. This is becoming beyond a joke. Completely delusional & a waste of money."

Deputy Philip Ozouf responded to the criticism, suggesting that Islanders should back Deputies Renouf and Moore and saying: A Yorkshire town doesn't have billions invested in a world-class financial centre. Financial Services are capable of facilitating £B's in green finance for infrastructure securing the economy of the future."

#FactCheck A Yorkshire town doesn’t have billions invested in a world-class financial centre

????????Financial Services are capable of facilitating ⬆️ £B’s in green finance for ???? infrastructure securing the economy of the future

Suggest: Back CM & Environment Minister

#Delivering https://t.co/LAzhlsDKSh

— Philip Ozouf ???????? (@philipozouf) December 3, 2023

He continued: "Small islands have a responsibility to deliver net zero too. The serious issues of climate change is affecting many small states. We need to unite with them and support."

In a note to the media, the Government said that they were using "verified offsets for the emissions from the return-flights to Dubai".

Following further queries, Express has learnt that the offsets have been purchased through an airline's partner organisation, and only projects with Gold Standard (certification for the voluntary carbon market) offset verification have been selected.

These include providing solar cookers for refugees, promoting improved cooking practices, and landfill gas extraction and electricity generation."

It comes as the public is still awaiting the reports on Ministerial travel and spending, which are now nine months overdue.

The Chief Minister explained the reason for her trip, saying: "Jersey takes its climate emergency responsibilities seriously and is committed, in line with the Paris Agreement, to reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

"Attending COP28 gives our Island the opportunity to again contribute, on the international stage, to much-needed coordinated long-term action."

COP28 sees nations and jurisdictions collaborate to address pressing climate issues and work towards sustainable solutions.

This is the third time Jersey has attended COP, having previously been invited to COP26 in Glasgow and COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Guernsey politicians Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq and Deputy Lindsey de Sausmarez have also come under fire for attending the summit in Dubai.

Deputy Le Tocq wrote on social media: "I'm afraid we can't ignore the UN's COP initiatives. For starters, most Free Trade Agreements our businesses want us to sign up to require us to be engaged with COP standards such as the Paris agreement."

He highlighted that even though he disagrees with "significant parts" of the Paris agreement, he knows that the Island needs to be on the right side of the global movement to slow down climate change.