سلطان الجابر: 160 رئيس دولة وحكومة يشاركون في «كوب 28»

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, President of the Conference of the Parties (COP28), participated yesterday, Wednesday, in the annual meetings of the UAE government in a session entitled: “Correcting the course of global climate action in COP28.”
He reviewed the efforts made by the conference presidency team and the outcomes of the preparatory period. To ensure a distinctive and exceptional edition, he explained the steps to prepare for hosting through a strategy that included the work and governance mechanism, a proactive global tour, to listen and communicate, investigate facts, prepare an action plan for the conference presidency, and set clear goals for the negotiating paths.
Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber stressed that the UAE’s hosting of this conference, which will be the largest international conference hosted by the country, and the most important global conference focused on addressing the repercussions of climate change, is a source of pride and pride for all citizens and residents, and a historical milestone that consolidates the UAE’s role in building a better future for humanity. And planet Earth.

He expressed his confidence that with the support of the leadership and everyone’s solidarity and concerted efforts, “COP28” will be a historic milestone that records the UAE’s role in building a better future for humanity and planet Earth.
He pointed out that the Supreme National Committee to Supervise Hosting, headed by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the supporting committees, are making great efforts in preparing for the conference, which will witness the attendance of more than 85 thousand participants, including heads of states and governments, ministers, and representatives of organizations. Non-governmental, private sector, indigenous peoples and youth.
He stressed that the success of “COP28” is a national responsibility, aiming to provide an exceptional and distinguished conference that strengthens Emirati diplomacy, protects the country’s interests, and achieves its goals, through a comprehensive national effort that requires the contribution of the government and private sectors, all individuals and institutions, and all segments of society.
As part of preparations to host the conference and continue building the momentum necessary for its success, preliminary ministerial meetings for “COP28” were recently held in Abu Dhabi, attended by more than 70 ministers and 100 delegations, to discuss various aspects related to the conference negotiations. With the aim of building consensus and determining the expected course of action.
The COP28 Presidency continues to call for progress on the $100 billion annually, final pledges to the Green Climate Fund, new commitments to double adaptation financing by 2025, and the successful replenishment of the Adaptation Fund.

23 natural disasters
Sultan Al Jaber began the session with an introduction in which he noted that the year 2023 has so far witnessed more than 23 major natural disasters, including floods, hurricanes, fires, and the melting of ice in both Antarctica and Greenland, adding that the year 2023 recorded the highest temperature on Earth since The beginning of the industrial revolution, and these huge repercussions, make climate change the challenge of the era.
Then he provided an overview of the world’s response to this challenge. The United Nations established the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992, and it was agreed to hold conferences for the states parties to this agreement. The first of these conferences was in Berlin in 1995, and they became held annually, and are known as “conferences of the parties.” It is the highest global political authority concerned with climate change.
He explained that previous conferences succeeded in identifying the correct priorities, but they faced challenges in implementing the negotiating outcomes, and that the world now needs an exceptional conference that achieves a qualitative shift in climate action, and this is what draws the world’s attention to “COP28,” and awaits the outcomes and results it will reach. .
He went on to explain the great responsibility that hosting the COP represents; The world is currently suffering from multiple geopolitical divisions and tensions, and the conference will host 198 countries and organizations, each of which has different positions, opinions, and interests from the others.
He said: What increases the importance of the conference is that the world is expected to prepare an effective global response to the first assessment of progress in implementing the goals of the Paris Agreement, known as the “global outcome,” which showed that the world is far from the right track to maintain the possibility of avoiding exceeding the rise in global temperature. Level 1.5°C.
Climate diplomacy
Al Jaber explained that, in line with the leadership’s vision of empowering youth, the COP28 presidency was keen to qualify a team of Emirati negotiators to play a pivotal role in achieving tangible progress in climate action and enabling the future of climate diplomacy, in a way that enhances the UAE’s pioneering role in this field. He stated The percentage of young negotiators under the age of 35 within the conference team is about 70%. He stressed that the efforts of the conference team achieved important steps to develop climate action, including the response of 85% of the world’s economies to the call of the COP28 presidency to commit to increasing the production capacity of renewable energy sources three times by 2030, and the response of more than 20 oil and gas companies to the call of the conference presidency to reduce emissions. methane to “net zero” by 2030, and the multilateral development banks have made tangible progress in strengthening and developing climate financing mechanisms.
100 billion dollars
The conference presidency continues its efforts to develop climate action through its call to raise the ceiling of ambition, increase funding allocated to climate from billions to trillions of dollars, and support many initiatives and measures aimed at enhancing climate finance, including the urgent fulfillment of annual financing commitments worth $100 billion.
Al Jaber added that the COP28 presidency aims, through the conference, to raise the ceiling of global ambition to address the challenges of climate change, in order to achieve fundamental progress in climate action and a sustainable future for all individuals and societies. This is achieved by achieving an effective reduction in emissions, working to activate both the global accelerator for decarbonization and the Charter for the Transition to Climate Neutrality, preparing and implementing a methane reduction strategy, and having the largest number of countries adopt pledges aimed at supporting the acceleration of emissions reduction.
A framework for administrative and institutional governance was prepared through the formation of the Supreme National Committee to supervise the preparations for the Conference of the Parties, headed by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, whose tasks include making decisions, determining the strategic directions for organizing the conference, and coordinating work between all government institutions and sectors. , to ensure it is hosted successfully.
A number of support committees have also been formed to support the work of the Supreme National Committee, including the Executive Committee for Hosting and Managing Events, headed by Her Highness Sheikha Maryam bint Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the Education and Human Resources Council, President of the Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation; This is to supervise the completion of the necessary preparations for the global conference.

Conference media committee
The media committee for the conference was also formed, headed by His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National Media Office, which works to shed light on the Emirati experience in planning for the future, achieving a qualitative shift in the economy and building a model of sustainable development.
He explained that, in line with the leadership’s directive that “COP28” be the most comprehensive and inclusive conference of the parties, consultations were made with all of the relevant authorities in the country, strategic partners, and previous presidencies of the conferences of the parties, and a global tour was undertaken. It included five continents, and this tour was an important proactive step that distinguished the UAE’s presidency of the conference and contributed to its good preparation. We were not satisfied with the usual routine role of chairing the conference, but rather we worked in a proactive methodology, we listened to everyone, we participated with everyone, and we made everyone’s voices heard.
Tour and meetings
He said: The tour included more than 50 countries, and witnessed meetings with more than 200 global leaders, partners, experts, and those concerned with climate action, and included meetings with representatives of civil society and non-governmental organizations in the United Kingdom, France, India, Pakistan, and a number of countries on both continents. African and American meetings, and that these meetings contributed to correcting the wrong public perception regarding the UAE hosting the conference; As an oil producer, the inherent legacy and approach of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, in sustainability and climate action has been made clear since the founding of the country.
The tour included international think tanks and media, and meetings with representatives of the oil and gas sector and the industries that cause the most emissions. Such as: heavy transport, iron, aluminum and cement industries. This is the first time in the history of the Conferences of the Parties that these sectors have been involved.
Clear pledges
Sultan Al Jaber explained that there was some hesitation and concern on the part of some organizations, countries and institutions regarding the involvement of this sector in climate action, and that as a result of positive communication and the call to mobilize efforts to achieve common interests, these sectors, for the first time, announced clear commitments and pledges to reduce Emissions and climate action.
He referred to meetings with multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, and private sector companies. Their role in the necessity of developing global financing mechanisms and increasing financing for global climate action was discussed. There was positive interaction from these institutions.
Youth community
The tour also included a group of meetings with the youth community around the world. Given the importance of their role in climate action, and the extent to which their future is linked to its developments, he pointed to the creation of the Youth Climate Pioneer mission.
He explained that the tour also included meetings with religious institutions, especially Al-Azhar and the Vatican, and coordination was made with them. To support climate action in light of the great importance of the role of these leaders in instilling values ​​and principles that urge individuals and communities to do good and protect the planet, he called on religious leaders to stimulate climate action in their societies.
The global tour also included meetings with indigenous peoples, in order to achieve the principle of inclusion and inclusion of all. For the first time in the Conferences of the Parties, COP28 will host a pavilion for these peoples, and Al Jaber explained that this proactive round contributed to the beginning of bridging viewpoints and reconciling opinions, to reach a global consensus, to raise the ceiling of ambition for climate.
He went on to explain the COP28 Presidency’s action plan, which was prepared based on the outcomes and results of the listening and communication round, to contribute to providing an effective response to the results of the global outcome of the “Paris Agreement,” and concrete solutions to the existing challenges by taking effective measures in line with the plan’s four pillars. These are: accelerating the achievement of an orderly, responsible, fair and logical transition in the energy sector, developing climate financing mechanisms, protecting people and nature, improving lives and livelihoods, and fully including everyone in the conference’s work system.
During the session, Al Jaber introduced the members of the UAE negotiating team who expressed their pride in participating in this national mission and in reaching tangible results by focusing on consolidating consensus and achieving the desired consensus on the various areas of negotiating results.
Trade and finance
He then reviewed the conference program, which runs from November 30 to December 12, noting the addition of specialized topics, based on consultations conducted with all concerned parties. He pointed out that the specialized topics program includes new days that respond to global challenges. The COP28 Presidency has designated a day for health, relief, recovery and peace for the first time in the Conferences of the Parties, and it will also be the first conference to focus on the role of trade and finance in climate action.
Paris Agreement
He explained that the presidency of “COP28” bears the responsibility of reconciling the opinions of the international community to provide a decisive and effective response to the results of the first global assessment to evaluate progress in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, and to correct the course of global action aimed at achieving them, indicating that the main focus areas of the response include achieving strong results in the field of “mitigation”, reaching a comprehensive agreement on adaptation, and pioneering solutions in the field of financing, including activating the Loss and Damage Treatment Fund and its financing arrangements, and fulfilling the pledges made at the “COP27” conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, with the need to double financing for adaptation, including providing pledges. The fund allocated for this goal, as well as achieving a qualitative shift in international financial institutions, building and strengthening carbon markets, and mobilizing and stimulating private sector investments, so that climate financing increases from billions to trillions.
Expo City Dubai
Al Jaber then gave an overview of the COP28 hosting site in Expo City Dubai, which includes two areas: The negotiations will be held in the “Blue Zone” designated for official delegations and participants accredited by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is administered by this zone, while the “Green Zone” administered by the UAE will be open to the public, informal organizations and other participants.
More than 160 heads of state and government participated
Sultan Al Jaber expected that “COP28” would witness the participation of more than 160 heads of state and government, 85,000 participants, and more than 5,000 media representatives who obtained official media accreditation from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in order to convey the message of the conference and convey its activities to the whole world. Sufficient spaces and places have been allocated for the media, and two media centers equipped with all the necessary technologies to facilitate the task of media professionals. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber stressed the importance of the timing of the conference, which coincides with Union Day; As the UAE presents its experience to the world as a living example of unifying efforts, work and achievement, he explained to the meeting attendees that the success of the conference is a comprehensive national effort, requiring the contribution of the government and private sectors, all individuals and institutions, and all segments of society within the country, and the companies and concerned parties launching and implementing initiatives related to sustainability and achieving climate neutrality. Highlighting the state’s positive role in climate action.
He called on all parties to cooperate and coordinate in this national responsibility, to ensure the presentation of an exceptional and distinguished conference. It enhances UAE diplomacy, protects the country’s interests, and achieves its goals.