Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and President of the Conference of Parties (COP28), has reaffirmed COP28’s commitment to building strategic partnerships and enhancing collaboration with all parties. The goal is to address climate change challenges and transform them into opportunities for sustainable economic development for all.
This announcement follows the conclusion of high-level dialogues by COP28 and the International Energy Agency (IEA), where Dr. Al Jaber lauded the role of these sessions in achieving consensus on the fundamental elements required for a systematic, responsible, equitable, and sensible transition in the energy sector. He noted that this complex process necessitates a consensus on the essential components for its implementation.
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, President of COP28, added that delivering an ambitious response to the global tally and maintaining the possibility of keeping the Earth’s temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius requires collective action. He welcomed the measures proposed by global leaders during the closing session, calling for continued optimism and an open mindset throughout COP28 and beyond.
The concluding session of the dialogue, co-chaired by Dr. Sultan Al Jaber and Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, was attended by over 40 senior officials from around the world, including four heads of state and government, 18 ministers and heads of negotiating delegations, and several leaders of international organizations. The sessions concluded with a consensus on the need to intensify efforts to maintain the possibility of achieving the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal through an organized, responsible, equitable, and logical transition in the energy sector. Participants also affirmed their support for COP28’s call to deliver an ambitious response to assess progress in implementing the Paris Agreement goals.
Dr. Fatih Birol commended the participants’ collaboration and support for the five objectives that the IEA calls for consensus at COP28. These include tripling the production capacity of renewable energy sources by 2030, doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvement by the same deadline, the oil and gas sector’s commitment to coordinating strategies to contribute to the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal, focusing on reducing methane emissions by 2030, and activating mechanisms for financing clean energy in developing countries on a large scale. Additionally, there’s a gradual reduction in the use of conventional fuel that does not mitigate emissions, starting with stopping the licensing of new coal plants and factories.
