Protesters test the limits of the authoritarian climate summit in Dubai

A woman dressed as a dugong, a rare marine mammal, begged passersby to stop the burning of fossil fuels. Protesters wiped away tears as they chanted the names of Palestinians killed by Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

And an exiled Emirati dissident took part in a panel discussion on human rights via shaky video link, speaking out in support of political prisoners held less than 100 miles from the sprawling conference site.

Tens of thousands of people from around the world have descended on the Persian Gulf city-state of Dubai for the annual United Nations summit on climate change, bringing the rare spectacle of political mobilization to the United Arab Emirates, the authoritarian host country.

Holding the talks, known as COP28, in a major oil-producing country whose budget is based on revenues from the fossil fuels that scientists say cause most of the world’s warming – itself sparked controversy. But climate and human rights activists said COP28 also tested the limits of a state that effectively bans most forms of political action, including protests, typically a essential part from the top.

To host the event, which began late last month, the Emirates, one of the richest and most powerful countries in the Middle East, complied with U.N. rules that allow pre-approved protests within part of the venue. That area, known as the ‘blue zone’, is walled and not subject to local laws.

Emirati officials also pledged to make COP28 one of the most important “most inclusive” editions of the climate meetings by expanding the participation of youth, women and indigenous peoples.

Some participants said they were pleased that people from parts of the ‘global south’, who might have struggled to get visas to attend a summit in Europe, could travel to the Emirates more easily. Indigenous peoples from Africa and the Americas were also a visible presence, wearing face paint and feathered headdresses as they strolled through the grounds.

But climate activists said this had been one of the most difficult years to organize protests even within the blue zone. They also pointed out that protests outside the zone were virtually impossible, and that native Emiratis or foreign residents of Dubai were unlikely to be able to join without risking repercussions.

In the Emirates, protests are in fact illegal, political parties and trade unions are banned, and reporting is very limited.

“The fact that these very limited, contained actions are taking place in the blue zone is dangerous because it gives the impression that this is a COP that tolerates rights, when in reality that is not the case,” said Joey Shea, who researches the Emirates for human rights. Watch.

For attendees familiar with the local political climate, COP28 has given the eerie impression of a spaceship landing in the desert — temporarily spitting out riotous passengers before preparing to suck them back in and take off — said James Lynch, a British human rights researcher.

Mr Lynch was one of many people who were surprised after being able to attend COP28 forbidden to enter Dubai, years ago. On special summit visas, Human Rights Watch researchers have arrived in Dubai for the first time since 2013, as did a New York University professor who was denied entry to the Emirates in 2015 after investigating the exploitation of migrant workers.

“It is much more important that there are Emiratis who can speak freely here than I can,” said Mr. Lynch, co-director of a group called FairSquare that investigates human rights abuses. “That’s the tragedy.”

Political freedoms have been limited in the Emirates since the country’s founding in the 1970s. But the government cracked down broadly on dissent after the Arab Spring, as pro-democracy uprisings spread across the Middle East.

In 2011, more than 100 Emirates have one petition calling for an elected parliament with legislative powers. Shortly afterwards, the government made a number of arrests. Then in 2013, authorities held a massive trial for 94 people, accusing them of plotting to overthrow the state. The crackdown reverberated through Emirati society, pushing even mildly dissenting opinions underground.

For some Emiratis, the part of COP28 that has felt the most surreal is watching pro-Palestinian rallies. In a country where many citizens have a deep feeling for the Palestinian cause, the last solidarity march was in 2009and since the Arab Spring, the only public gatherings have been nationalist marches “to renew the pledge of loyalty to the ruler,” says Mira Al Hussein, an Emirati researcher at the University of Edinburgh.

“It felt very good to hold a protest, if you could describe it that way, in solidarity with the Palestinians,” Ms Hussein said. Still, she said she was saddened that many talented Emiratis “will not shine, as activism has a negative connotation in our current political climate.”

Emirati officials sometimes argue that a firm grip is necessary to prevent extremism and maintain peace and security in a place where foreigners from widely diverse backgrounds make up 90 percent of the population. The Emirates offer more social freedoms than some neighboring countries.

The country is home to many nationalities “representing diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds” and is “steadfast in its commitment to and respect for human rights,” the government said in a statement to The Times.

But Mr Lynch said the state’s control had become more subtle over the years, with a reliance on sophisticated surveillance technology and digital monitoring.

“The heavy hand of repression here is not so apparent to the average person,” Mr. Lynch said.

One of the potentially riskiest events at COP28 was a discussion on human rights held on Wednesday. Hamad Al Shamsi, an exiled Emirati dissident convicted in absentia during the mass trial of 94 people – and later classified as a terrorist by the Emirates – connected via video link to speak about the trial, saying many of those convicted are still present in custody after serving their sentences.

The government declined to comment on “individual cases.”

“I am actually sorry that I cannot participate in an event that is taking place in my own country,” Mr Al Shamsi said.

On Friday, civil society groups said UN officials were “controlling” what they could say about the war in Gaza and where they could hold protests.

“Our experience at this COP, in this blue zone, has been much more difficult and restrictive than ever before,” said Tasneem Essop, executive director of Climate Action Network International, an advocacy group.

Their complaints came on the eve of a larger day of protests planned for Saturday in the blue zone. One of the issues, Ms. Essop and other activists said, is whether they can use the slogan “Ceasefire Now” in their chants and banners and whether they can denounce the “occupation.”

U.N. rules prohibit distinguishing individual countries by name or flag, but it was unclear why calling for a ceasefire would violate the rules.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is convening the summit, said there is room for people to “gather peacefully and make their voices heard on climate-related issues.”

The United Nations received 167 requests for political actions in the blue zone, and 88 of them took place in the first week, a similar number to last year’s summit, the organization said. A notable portion of this year concerned the Palestinians.

“As part of our commitment to an inclusive COP, COP28 will have dedicated spaces and platforms where all voices can be heard,” the Emirates COP28 presidency said in a statement.

But Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy at Climate Action Network, said holding the summit in politically restrictive countries two years in a row – COP27 took place in Egypt – has raised questions about the role the United Nations should play as ‘keeper of the climate’. of our rights and freedoms.”

The summit should take place in a place “where civil society can participate freely,” he said.

After a rally in support of Palestinians in the blue zone last Sunday, Selma Bichbich, 22, an Algerian climate activist, said holding COP28 in the Emirates had created a chilling effect for some participants.

Ms Bichbich said it was vital she took part in the demonstration. Seeing the war in Gaza, she said, filled her with so much anger that she wasn’t sure she was even interested in “leading the future.”

“What do you expect, honestly, to tolerate everything and tackle the climate?” she asked, sobbing openly. “Do you think the climate will distract us?”

Somini Sengupta reporting contributed.