Tag: Al Jaber

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Al Jaber Receives Leadership Award

Over the last decade, CERAWeek by S&P Global has honoured the following individuals for extraordinary acts of leadership with global impact: Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India; Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; and Enrique Peña Nieto, former President of Mexico…reports Asian Lite News

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, President of COP28, received an award from CERAWeek by S&P Global, the world’s premier energy conference, recognising his leadership in sustainable energy.

Dr. Al Jaber received the ‘CERAWeek Leadership Award for Building Global Consensus towards a Sustainable Energy Future’ in recognition of delivering the UAE Consensus, which has emerged as the defining point of reference for global climate action, giving clear direction to countries on how to keep 1.5°C within reach, transforming agreements into tangible outcomes, and ensuring global implementation.

Dr. Al Jaber was presented the award by Daniel Yergin, Vice Chairman of S&P Global and CERAWeek Conference Chair, to recognise the COP28 President’s extraordinary act of leadership which will have a global impact.

Daniel Yergin said, “The UAE Consensus that emerged from Dubai outlined pathways, never so concrete, for governments and industries to work together to achieve what is nothing short of a historic transformation of the world’s energy systems. Dr. Sultan emphasised inclusiveness and engagement as the necessary foundation for climate solutions. This was not easy to implement. But in succeeding Dr. Sultan established a new vector for future COPs.”

“On behalf of my leadership and the people of the United Arab Emirates, I am deeply honoured to accept this award for the UAE Consensus,” Dr. Al Jaber, who attended the conference virtually, said in his acceptance speech.

Over the last decade, CERAWeek by S&P Global has honoured the following individuals for extraordinary acts of leadership with global impact: Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India; Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; and Enrique Peña Nieto, former President of Mexico.

Multilateralism, inclusivity, and the spirit of partnership, which were at the core of the COP28 conference, were key to achieving the UAE Consensus. The UAE Consensus delivered a series of firsts, including a commitment from all Parties to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, and also set time-bound targets to triple global renewable energy capacity and double energy capacity by 2030.

“In a world too often held back by conflict, the UAE Consensus brought nations together to take a giant step forward for climate progress,” Dr. Al Jaber said. “Countries set aside self-interest for the common goal of keeping 1.5°C within reach. And multilateralism overcame geopolitics to produce an unprecedented agreement for a fair, orderly and responsible energy transition.

Dr. Al Jaber credited the spirit of climate actionism and optimism that COP28 UAE inspired, by bringing every actor to the table to help deliver results, from private and public sectors, civil society and faith leaders, youth and Indigenous Peoples. “In short, COP28 was a success because of its full inclusivity. Everyone had a seat at the table. Everyone was invited to contribute, and everyone’s contribution was welcome, including those from industry, and in particular, the oil and gas industry,” he told the attendees.

Dr. Al Jaber emphasised that the oil and gas sector is a critical player in addressing climate change. During COP28 the Presidency launched the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC), with signatories aligning around net-zero emissions by or before 2050, zero-out methane emissions by 2030, eliminate routine flaring by 2030, and continue working towards industry best practices in emission reduction.

ALSO READ-‘Urgent Course Correction Key to COP28 Renewables Goal’

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Al Jaber Lauds Success in Response to Global Stocktake

The COP28 President noted that the UAE has shown that it can deliver on the global stage for the benefit of the planet and its people.

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President, lauded the success of the parties in delivering a comprehensive response to the Global Stocktake and all the other mandates, and finding a new way.

In his statement at the closing plenary of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), Dr. Al Jaber said, “Together, we have confronted realities, and we have set the world in the right direction. We have given it a robust action plan to keep 1.5 within reach. It is a plan that is led by the science. It is a balanced plan, that tackles emissions, bridges the gap on adaptation, reimagines global finance, and delivers on loss and damage. It is built on common ground. It is strengthened by inclusivity. And it is reinforced by collaboration.”

He was referencing the landmark text named “The UAE Consensus”, to which the Parties agreed and which sets out an ambitious climate agenda to keep 1.5°C within reach. The UAE Consensus calls on Parties to transition away from fossil fuels to reach net zero, encourages them to submit economy-wide Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), includes a new specific target to triple renewables and double energy efficiency by 2030, and builds momentum towards a new architecture for climate finance.

“We have travelled a long road together in a short amount of time. Over the last two weeks, we have worked very hard to secure a better future for our people and our planet. We should be proud of our historic achievement. And the United Arab Emirates, my country, is rightly proud of its role in helping you to move this forward,” the COP28 President continued. “It is an enhanced, balanced, but, make no mistake, historic package to accelerate climate action. It is the UAE Consensus.”

He added, “Many said this could not be done. But when I spoke to you at the very start of COP, I promised a different sort of COP. A COP that brought everyone together, private and public sectors, civil society and faith leaders, youth and indigenous peoples. Everyone came together from day one. Everyone united, acted and delivered. We operationalised loss and damage and started to fill the fund. We mobilised more than US$85 billion in new financial commitments. We launched ALTÉRRA, the world’s largest catalytic private investor that is 100 percent focused on solutions to climate change. And we delivered world first after world first.”

“A global goal to triple renewables and double energy efficiency. Declarations on agriculture, food and health. Many more oil and gas companies stepping up for the first time on methane and emissions. And we have language on fossil fuels in our final agreement. All of these are world firsts. And all of these are crucial actions that will help shape a better, cleaner world with greater, more equitable prosperity. And then we became the first COP to host a change-makers Majlis. And I felt that that was the turning point in our negotiations. You reconnected with your spirit of collaboration, you got out of your comfort zones and started speaking to each other from the heart. That… made the difference,” Dr. Al Jaber affirmed.

“Now, we can truly say that we united, we acted, and we delivered. Friends, here let me sound a word of caution. An agreement is only as good as its implementation. We are what we do, not what we say. We must take the steps necessary to turn this agreement into tangible action. If we unite in action, we can have a profoundly positive effect on all our futures.

“And I mean all our futures. Because inclusivity has been the beating heart of this conference. It kept us going during the difficult days. You never gave up on the process, a process that was driven by solidarity, transparency and a willingness to listen. And everyone has been heard, from indigenous peoples, to global youth, to the Global South. As a result, we have delivered a paradigm shift that has the potential to redefine our economies.”

“We have reframed the conversation around climate finance. We have integrated the real economy into climate action. And we have moved to a new mindset, where solutions to the climate challenge become the drivers of a new economic age.

“It has been a personal privilege for me to have the opportunity to guide this conference. I am humbled by the commitment I have seen and the unwavering efforts I have witnessed. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all who made this happen. To every country who came and made this COP a success, I say thank you. To every single participant, everyone I met in this special place, I say thank you. You have come in record numbers, you care deeply about the future of this wonderful planet… and so do I. And to you, the delegates, who met me at 4 and 5 am, I also say thank you. And allow me to take this opportunity to express my deepest respect and gratitude to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. I am deeply grateful for his confidence, guidance and constant support. I hope we made you proud.”

The COP28 President noted that the UAE has shown that it can deliver on the global stage for the benefit of the planet and its people.

“We have helped restore faith and trust in multilateralism,” he said. “And we have shown that humanity can come together to help humanity. Our task was to build on the foundations that others have laid for us. And I tell you, what we have built together will stand the test of time. Future generations may not know your names, but they will owe every single one of you a debt of gratitude.

“We leave Dubai with our heads held high. And our work goes on. In unity and solidarity, we will walk the new path that the UAE Consensus has set for the world. Together, we will follow our North Star. We will follow it from here to Baku and from Baku to Belem. And together, we will secure the future of this beautiful planet for the many generations to come.”

“And let me finish by saying this. I hope that the spirit of partnership, inclusivity and peace that has welcomed you here in the UAE goes with you from this place, and lives on for the good of all humanity,” Dr. Al Jaber said, in conclusion.

ALSO READ: COP28 Raises Bar For Climate Action

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Al Jaber Meets Japanese PM in Tokyo Visit

Dr. Al Jaber expressed the best wishes of the UAE’s wise leadership for Japan’s government and people and reaffirmed the strong ties between the two friendly countries….reports Asian Lite News

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President-Designate, met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during his working visit to Tokyo.

The meeting follows the outcomes of the Japanese Prime Minister’s visit to Abu Dhabi last July and discusses the latest developments in bilateral relations, initiatives, and projects and ways to enhance them within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. The meeting was attended by Shihab Ahmed Al Faheem, UAE Ambassador to Japan.

At the start of the meeting, Dr. Al Jaber expressed the best wishes of the UAE’s wise leadership for Japan’s government and people and reaffirmed the strong ties between the two friendly countries.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation in all areas of common interest in the economic, trade, industrial, and investment sectors within the strategic partnership framework between the two countries.

The two sides discussed the importance of collaborating on a rational and responsible energy transition that will double climate action efforts and the UAE’s preparations to host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) from 30th November to 12th December 2023.

ALSO READ: UAE Puts Focus on Global Existential Challenges at UNGA

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Al Jaber leverages capital for advancing climate finance

خلال منتدى تحفيز التمويل المناخي المقام في المملكة المتحدة:    - سلطان الجابر ينقل تحيات قيادة الإمارات إلى جو بايدن وتشارلز الثالث، ويلتقي عدداً من وزراء الحكومة البريطانية.  - الجابر: بفضل رؤية القيادة، الإمارات تواجه التحديات العالمية بذهنية إيجابية ووسائل مبتكَرة وتحرص على بناء مستقبل أفضل للجميع.  ‏- COP28 سيستضيف للمرة الأولى منتدىً رفيع المستوى للشركات التجارية والمؤسسات الخيرية .  - يجب الالتزام بتوفير مبلغ الـ 100 مليار دولار من التمويل المناخي السنوي الذي تم التعهد به عام 2009، والمؤشرات الأخيرة مشجعة. ويندسور في 13 يوليو /وام/ أكد معالي الدكتور سلطان أحمد الجابر، وزير الصناعة والتكنولوجيا المتقدمة، الرئيس المعيَّن لمؤتمر الأطراف "COP28"، أن دولة الإمارات تعمل وفق رؤية وتوجيه القيادة، على مواجهة التحديات العالمية بذهنية إيجابية ووسائل مبتكَرة، وتحرص على التعاون مع شركاء يتبنّون نفس الرؤى والأفكار والتوجهات في العمل المناخي لتحقيق التنمية المستدامة وبناء مستقبل أفضل للجميع في كل مكان. جاء ذلك خلال مشاركة معاليه في مناقشات رفيعة المستوى حول التمويل المناخي، مع كلٍ من جلالة الملك تشارلز الثالث، ملك المملكة المتحدة لبريطانيا العظمى وأيرلندا الشمالية، وفخامة جوزيف بايدن، رئيس الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، وعددٍ من كبار المستثمرين وقادة العمل الخيري، وذلك على هامش فعاليات منتدى تحفيز التمويل المناخي المقام في المملكة المتحدة، لبحث سبل تعزيز هذا التمويل بطرق مبتكَرة تسهم في تفعيل العمل وتحقيق انتقال منطقي وعملي وتدريجي وعادل في قطاع الطاقة. ونقل معاليه تحيات القيادة في دولة الإمارات إلى الرئيس الأمريكي جو بايدن، وجلالة الملك تشارلز الثالث، مؤكداً حرص الإمارات على تعزيز الشراكة القائمة مع البلدين الصديقين في المجالات المختلفة.  كما شارك معاليه في منتدى "تحفيز التمويل المناخي" الذي عقده معالي غرانت شابس، وزير أمن الطاقة والحياد المناخي في المملكة المتحدة، وجون كيري المبعوث الرئاسي الأمريكي الخاص للمناخ، بحضور مارك كارني، المبعوث الخاص للأمم المتحدة المعني بالعمل والتمويل المناخي، ومجموعة من قادة الشركات التجارية والمؤسسات الخيرية في مجالات التمويل والاستدامة والعمل المناخي، حيث وجه معاليه دعوة مفتوحة إلى كافة الأطراف لرفع سقف طموحاتهم استعداداً لـ "COP28" والاستمرار في تحفيز المؤسسات التجارية والخيرية في المملكة المتحدة والولايات المتحدة للقيام بذلك. وبهذه المناسبة قال معالي الدكتور سلطان أحمد الجابر إن لقيادتَي الولايات المتحدة والمملكة المتحدة دور حاسم في الوفاء بتعهدات التمويل المناخي وجذب مزيد من رأس المال، مضيفاً أن من الضروري الوفاء بالالتزام بتوفير مبلغ الـ 100 مليار دولار من التمويل المناخي السنوي الذي تم التعهد به في عام 2009، ومنوهاً بأن المؤشرات الأخيرة مشجعة وتدل على أنه سيتم الوفاء بهذا الالتزام. وأكد معاليه على الحاجة الملحّة إلى زيادة التمويل المخصص للمناخ من مليارات إلى تريليونات الدولارات، من أجل تحقيق الأهداف العالمية الخاصة بالمناخ والتنوع البيولوجي والتنمية المستدامة، وقال: "من أجل تحقيق هذه الأهداف يجب جمع وتحفيز رأس المال على جميع المستويات الحكومية والخاصة والخيرية، لأن رأس المال والتمويل من أهم عوامل التمكين الحاسمة في العمل المناخي، وهناك حاجة ملحة لتوفير التمويل بشروط ميسَّرة وبتكلفة معقولة للجميع في أنحاء العالم".  وأضاف أن "تغير المناخ مشكلة عالمية تتطلب استجابة عالمية فعلية، وعلى جميع المؤسسات المالية الفاعلة العمل ضمن إطار جديد من التعاون والتكاتف لتمكين التمويل المناخي بالقدر اللازم والنطاق المنشود وبالسرعة التي يحتاج إليها العالم، لذلك يسعدني الإعلان أن مؤتمر الأطراف "COP28" سيستضيف منتدىً رفيع المستوى لدعم دور الشركات التجارية والمؤسسات الخيرية في العمل المناخي، والتركيز على تذليل الصعوبات التي تعوق تحقيق التقدم المنشود، وعرض النماذج الناجحة وتحديد فرص التعاون والإبداع المشترك وتسريع الإنجاز".   كما جدد معاليه التأكيد على ضرورة إجراء تطوير جذري لمؤسسات التمويل الدولية وبنوك التنمية متعددة الأطراف، وأوضح أنه من أجل استثمار المبالغ المطلوبة، يجب تبني آليات جديدة لتخفيف المخاطر وتحفيز القطاع الخاص للعمل في مجال المناخ على نطاق واسع. وقال: "نحتاج إلى تطبيق نهج شامل ومتكامل مدعوم بأطر تعاونية فعالة، وألّا نكتفي بالإصلاحات التدريجية". وخلال مناقشته البيانات التي قدمتها المؤسسات التي حضرت المنتدى، قال معالي الدكتور سلطان الجابر إن المبادرات مثل "منتدى تحفيز التمويل المناخي" تتيح فرصاً رئيسة لتحقيق التقدم المنشود، فالتمويل الذي أعلنت عنه اليوم بعض الجهات الفاعلة والرائدة في القطاع الخاص والمنظمات الخيرية العالمية هو بالفعل ما نحتاج إلى تحقيقه استعداداً لانطلاق "COP28".  وأشاد معاليه أيضاً بالتقدم الذي حققته مبادرة مختبر استثمارات القطاع الخاص التابعة للبنك الدولي في التوصل إلى حلول لمعالجة الصعوبات التي تعوق تمويل القطاع الخاص للعمل المناخي، وأكد أن دعم وتحفيز استثمارات القطاع الخاص في مقدمة أولويات رئاسة مؤتمر الأطراف "COP28"، معرِباً عن تطلعه إلى ضم توصيات المختبر القابلة للتطبيق إلى أجندة عمل "COP28" حول التمويل المناخي.   وأوضح معاليه أن المملكة المتحدة والولايات المتحدة، تضمان اثنين من أكبر الأسواق المالية في العالم، مؤكداً أن ما تم الإعلان عنه اليوم من جانبهما من إجراءات وتمويل يجب أن يتكرر على نطاق عالمي للحفاظ على إمكانية تحقيق هدف تفادي تجاوز الارتفاع في درجة حرارة الأرض مستوى 1.5 درجة مئوية.

Dr. Al Jaber restated his call for major reform of international financial institutions and multilateral development banks…reports Asian Lite News

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate, has participated in high-level discussions on climate finance with US President Joe Biden and H.M King Charles III, alongside leading investors and philanthropists, in a visit to the UK to advance innovative climate finance to deliver climate action and a just energy transition.

During his visit, Dr. Al Jaber attended a forum on Climate Finance Mobilisation convened by the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Rt Hon. Grant Shapps MP and the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry.

The forum was attended by UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, Mark Carney, as well as private sector and philanthropic leaders from finance, sustainability, and climate action. Dr. Al Jaber encouraged all parties to set their ambitions high ahead of COP28 and continue to galvanise UK and US-based businesses and philanthropists to do the same.

Dr. Al Jaber said, “The leadership of the US and UK is crucial to both fulfil climate finance pledges and mobilize further capital. We must deliver on the $100bn of annual climate finance promised in 2009, and I have been encouraged by recent assurances that this pledge will be fulfilled. However, we need to mobilise trillions, not billions, of dollars if we are to reach our climate, biodiversity and SDG targets.

“To achieve this we need to mobilise capital at all levels, public, business and philanthropic. Capital and finance are critical enablers of climate action. But to unleash its power, it must be available, accessible and affordable throughout the world.”

Dr. Al Jaber added, “Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution. All financial actors must work within a new framework of solidarity to enable climate finance at the scale, scope and speed that the world needs. As an outcome of today’s meetings, I am pleased to announce that COP28 will host a High-Level Business & Philanthropy Delivery Forum, during the World Climate Action Summit. The forum will focus on removing barriers to progress, showcasing what is working, and identifying opportunities for co-creation, collaboration, and acceleration.”

Dr. Al Jaber restated his call for major reform of international financial institutions and multilateral development banks, and added “To invest the amounts required, we must build the right risk mitigation instruments that incentivize private sector action at scale. This is not a time for incremental reform. We need a holistic approach underpinned by collaborative frameworks.”

Discussing the announcements made by organisations in attendance, Dr. Al Jaber continued, “Initiatives like the Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum provide a key avenue for progress. The funding announced today by some of the world’s leading private sector actors and philanthropists is exactly what we need to see ahead of COP28.”

During his visit, Dr. Al Jaber also welcomed progress on the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab which will be charged with developing solutions to address barriers to private sector climate finance. Dr. Al Jaber said, “Capital is a key enabler of climate action, and catalyzing private investments is a key priority for the COP28 Presidency. I look forward to actionable recommendations coming out of the Private Sector Investment Lab that can be integrated into COP28’s climate finance agenda.”

He concluded that “The UK and US are home to two of the largest financial markets in the world. Their action and the funding announced today is vital to keep 1.5C within reach and must be replicated on a global scale.”

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COP28: Al Jaber urges ‘transformational progress’

Dr. Al Jaber reminded ministers and climate leaders of the approaching Global Stocktake at COP28 and urged them to take action across a range of key areas to bring 1.5C within reach….reports Asian Lite News

At the conclusion of the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President-Designate, urged global climate ministers to unite behind “transformational progress” for a COP of Action and a COP for All.

Dr. Al Jaber joined Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs, COP27 President and Foreign Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt, to co-chair the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial in Denmark – the first official meeting of climate leaders and ministers from around the world since COP27.

The event, which was hosted by the Danish government, also saw Dr. Al Jaber hold a series of one-to-one meetings with climate leaders, where he drove forward his agenda to secure commitment to an inclusive COP of Action and urged leaders to deliver “transformational progress” to keep 1.5 degrees alive.

The meeting was attended by climate ministers and senior government representatives from developed and developing countries including France, Japan, the Maldives, Samoa, the UK and USA. The Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Simon Stiell and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition, Selwin Hart, were also in attendance.

During the two-day event, Dr. Al Jaber worked with Sameh Shoukry and Dan Jørgensen, Danish Minister of Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, to lead efforts to deliver on the meeting’s aim of securing the implementation of the results of COP27 while also setting the course ahead towards COP28 in the UAE later this year.

In his remarks, Dr. Al Jaber reminded ministers and climate leaders of the approaching Global Stocktake at COP28 and urged them to take action across a range of key areas to bring 1.5C within reach.

He said, ” Yesterday’s IPCC report highlighted the significant challenges ahead and the urgent need to course correct if we are to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. But more importantly, the report identifies the opportunities and solutions that are available to reduce emissions and enhance resilience.”

Dr. Al Jaber emphasised the need to accelerate pathways to net zero by rapidly adopting renewable and zero carbon energies, decarbonizing the current energy system and investing in proven and new mitigation technologies. He said: “We have a short window of opportunity to deliver a system-wide transformation. But if we make the right investments, we can create a pathway for sustainable growth, where climate and economic progress go hand-in-hand.”

He also spoke about finance being the critical success factor across all pillars, saying, “We need to double adaptation finance by 2025 and we need a strong outcome on loss and damage this year, with clear recommendations from the transitional committee on the fund and funding arrangement.” Dr. Sultan in his closing remarks underscored the need to explore all networks to ensure the fund is fully operationalized by COP28.

While at the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial, Dr. Al Jaber played a key role in leading and facilitating a series of high-level plenaries and discussions. He also met with a range of climate minsters and leaders as well as representatives from the climate sector including Zhao Yingmin, Vice Minister for China; Collins Nzovu, Minister of Zambia; Grace Fu, Minister of Environment for Singapore and Jennifer Morgan, State Secretary of Germany. Throughout all discussions, he emphasized the need for climate action and an ambitious COP28.

In concluding the visit, Dr Al. Jaber thanked ministers and climate leaders and welcomed their support for an accelerated energy transition, enabled by an inclusive approach that empowers private sector partners.

Ambassador Majid, Director-General of COP28, accompanied Dr. Al Jaber to Copenhagen, leading a roundtable with CEOs and business executives from Danish industry spanning renewable energy, heavy industry and transport, water systems, and energy innovation. In the meeting, Ambassador Majid linked COP28 to the real economy and discussed key components of the COP28 strategy, namely the Global Stocktake, the energy transition and partnership with the private sector in climate action.

Copenhagen was the latest destination in the COP28 Presidency’s global listening tour – a series of international visits to meet with, and hear the views of, a range of partners across government, civil society, youth, the private sector and representatives of international organizations and NGOs. To date, Dr. Al Jaber and members of the COP28 leadership team have visited India, the UK, Germany, France and the US. Additional meetings are scheduled for both developed and developing countries.

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Al Jaber co-chairs Copenhagen Climate Ministerial

This convening, attended by more than 40 government ministers, is the first climate ministerial meeting leading up to COP28…reports Asian Lite News

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President-Designate, co-chaired the two-day Copenhagen Climate Ministerial alongside Sameh Shoukry, COP27 President and Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Dan Jørgensen, Denmark’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy.

This convening, attended by more than 40 government ministers, is the first climate ministerial meeting leading up to COP28.

Throughout the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial, Dr. Al Jaber held a series of bilateral meetings with climate leaders and government ministers from around the world, including Simon Stiell, UNFCCC Executive Secretary; Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice President of the European Commission; Zhao Yingmin, China’s Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment; Jennifer Morgan, German Special Envoy for International Climate Action; Shahab Uddin, Bangladesh’s Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Grace Fu, Singapore’s Minister of Sustainability and the Environment; and Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster, Samoa’s Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism, among others.

In opening remarks at the climate ministerial, Dr. Al Jaber said, “We need to build on the foundation achieved at COP27 and move from goals to getting it done. We are way off track when it comes to the critical goal of keeping 1.5 alive. Incremental steps will simply not cut it, we need transformational progress in the next 7 years across mitigation, adaptation, climate finance and loss and damage.”

On mitigation, the COP28 President-Designate urged countries to “Scale up all available zero-carbon energy sources, while minimising the emissions from all other energy sources. Technology that no one can afford isn’t much use to anyone. Governments should therefore adopt smart policies to incentivise breakthroughs in battery storage and commercialise carbon capture and the hydrogen value chain.

We should inject a business mindset, short-term KPIs and an ambitious action-oriented agenda into the Mitigation Work Programme, and remember that the enemy is emissions, not progress.”

Dr. Al Jaber reminded attendees of the need to deliver a framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation “that meets the needs of developing countries, builds resilience, protects fragile biodiversity and enhances nature-based solutions.” He added, “At a minimum, we need to double adaptation finance and adopt national policies that build every country’s capacity to adapt to climate impacts.”

Speaking to the Loss and Damage finance facility established at COP27, Dr. Al Jaber emphasised, “We must bring the Sharm El Sheikh outcome on loss and damage to life. This means the loss and damage fund must be fully operationalised, and we need the right governance and structures in place to target the most vulnerable communities.”

“The lynchpin to all progress across climate pillars is finance. We have an opportunity to shape a new financial goal at COP28 that enables us to chart a new course for greater climate ambition,” stressed Dr. Al Jaber, as he called for “urgent reform of international financial institutions and multilateral development banks to unlock much more concessional capital, lower risk and attract more private finance. The bottom line is finance needs to be much more available, accessible and affordable.”

The COP28 President-Designate raised the critical need for “solidarity and unity of purpose”, adding, “There is simply no room for division. Progress of the kind we need can only happen through partnership, not polarisation.”

“The task ahead represents one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced. But, if we act with urgency, act together and act now, it also represents one of the greatest opportunities for social and economic development,” Dr. Al Jaber further said.

Copenhagen is the latest destination in Dr. Al Jaber’s global listening tour – a series of international visits to engage with and listen to the views of partners from governments, the private sector, civil society and international organisations.

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