WGS 2023: UAE not shying away, but running towards energy transition, says COP28 President

The UAE is not shying away from the energy transition, but running towards it, and wants to make COP28 to be remembered for uniting the world, said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, President-Designate of COP28.

The UAE will host the 28th edition of the UN Conference of the Parties (COP28) from November 30 to December 12, 2023.

“Climate change knows no boundaries. It affects us all. We believe that game-changing solutions can be achieved if the collective political will is there. Let's cooperate, collaborate and share ideas. Let's unite in solidarity for the sake of humanity and live up to the responsibility that we have been entrusted with. And I promise you, it certainly is from the UAE.

The UAE is not shying away from the energy transition. In fact, we are running towards it,” Al Jaber said during the World Government Summit in Dubai on Tuesday.

“We want COP28 UAE to be remembered for uniting everyone in action. Let's make COP28, a COP of unity and action that will shape a better future.”

He said the conference will have a special significance as it marks the first global stocktake – a comprehensive assessment of progress against the goals and objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement.

“We already know that we are way off track. The world is playing catch up when it comes to holding global temperatures down to 1.5 degrees. The hard reality is that global emissions must fall 43 per cent by 2030, which is just seven years away. We need a major course correction,” he said.

The COP28 president-designate called for transforming entire industrial systems that still rely and run on the energies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as food and agriculture systems that account for one-third of global emissions.

“We need to triple renewable energy capacity, double hydrogen production, expand nuclear power and improve battery storage if we're serious about capturing emissions. We must scale up and commercialise carbon capture technologies,” Al Jaber said during the speech on the topic of ‘The Roadmap COP28: Prioritising Action.’

He also called for ramping up investments across every area of decarbonisation.

“We should view these investments as a true opportunity rather than a burden. In fact, economists estimate that [the] decarbonising industry, the energy sector power generation, transportation and food systems could create an additional $12 trillion in economic value by 2030,” he said.

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