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UAE to deliver successful COP28 despite rising tensions in the region

Director General Al Suwaidi said that the team at COP28 has laid out pillars to fast-track energy transition

Published: Mon 30 Oct 2023, 10:13 PM

Updated: Tue 31 Oct 2023, 9:47 PM

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Amid escalating conflicts in the region and beyond, COP28’s team head is confident about delivering a successful UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai.

Asked about the rising tensions in the region shifting the world’s focus from the next month’s crucial summit, Director General of COP28, Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, underlined that an “unprecedented participation” of 70 ministers and more than 100 delegations at the Pre-COP event in Abu Dhabi is proving that COP28 will be “game-changer”.

“Our team is dedicated to delivering a successful and ambitious COP28. I think that today we have shown that the world is focused on COP28 being a game-changer,” Al Suwaidi said during a press conference of Pre-COP held in Abu Dhabi, which comes a month before the highly anticipated COP28.

“The scale of participation here is unprecedented compared to other Pre-COPs in the past. And that speaks to the commitment of parties, and countries, partners involved to delivering a very ambitious COP, and also speaks to the effort that our presidency has put in.”

Al Suwaidi underscored the tireless global journeys taken by COP28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber to meet heads of state, partners, NGOs, civil society, and more to include inputs of all voices in climate action.

“Dr Sultan Al Jaber is making sure that we have as inclusive a collaboration as possible.”

Al Suwaidi said that COP28 is distinct because of the Global Stocktake and keep 1.5 degrees within reach by 2030. “The seriousness is there, and that the parties are stepping up. It’s being shown by the participation,” he said and hoped for “fruitful” conversations as decision-makers negotiate climate action and deliver the $100 billion a year pledge, the GCF replenishment, and Early Loss and Damage pledges.

Apart from Pre-COP, two separate meetings took place in Abu Dhabi — the third Climate and Development Ministerial and a G77 Ministerial meeting.

“We've called for a fifth meeting and that of the transitional committee. Only four were planned. We called for that extra one to make sure we saw the progress.”

Al Suwaidi added that the team at COP28 has laid out pillars to fast-track energy transition.

“We’re talking about practical solutions and real actions that we need to unify together to deliver. And then we need to decarbonise the energy system we have today. We know we need to take these practical steps. We need to do that in an equitable way. We need to fix finance. We’re working in the meetings to deliver those,” he added.

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