12-year-old protester storms stage of COP28 summit

DUBAI — A 12-year-old protester burst on to the stage at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai on Monday, holding a sign above her head that read: “End fossil fuels. Save our planet and our future.”

Licypriya Kangujam, a child climate justice activist from India, was escorted away as the audience clapped.

COP28 Director-General Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi said he admired the enthusiasm of young people at COP28 and encouraged the audience to give Kangujam another round of applause.

Public protests have been limited at the United Nations talks that are being held in the United Arab Emirates, which bans many organized groups, including political parties and labor unions.

Countries on Monday received a new draft text of a final deal. The text did not refer directly to a phase out of fossil fuels, which is a key demand of the European Union and many developing countries that are especially vulnerable to climate change.

The talks are scheduled to finish on Tuesday, but UN climate talks have rarely finished on time. — Reuters