After weeks of controversy, COP28 chief faces the ultimate test

DUBAI - If you take the president of the United Nations’ COP28 climate talks at his word, the first week of the marathon conference in Dubai has gone surprisingly well.

But as ministers arrive to take charge of their delegations for the final leg of the talks that will conclude on Dec 12, the world’s largest-ever climate gathering is about to get much tougher. A major fight is brewing over the future of fossil fuels, the burning of which is the main driver of climate change.