UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Dr. Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, speaks during CERAWeek by S&P Global in Houston, Texas on March 6, 2023.
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of COP28, is visiting Paris this week as part of a global listening tour. In particular, he will participate in the round table of International Energy Agency (IEA) ambassadors and will meet representatives of civil society, members of the government, representatives of international organizations and of the private sector.
Dr. Al Jaber, who will be accompanied by Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazrui, UAE Minister of Community Development and COP28 Youth Climate Champion, will emphasize the need for all parties to have a place at the table and to contribute to the COP28 agenda: “What the world needs at COP28 is not just a Conference of Parties, but a Conference of all Parties. We need everyone to join forces now, from our universities and cities, to civil society organizations and conservation groups, to all sectors of government and industry,” he specifies.
Dr. Al Jaber will also present his objectives for COP28.
Specifically, he will stress the need to step up mitigation efforts to halve emissions by 2030, accelerate energy transition, double adaptation funding to $40 billion by 2025 as well as supporting the most vulnerable communities through a fund for loss and damages. To advance these goals, Dr. Al Jaber will continue to advocate for reforms within multilateral financial institutions to increase climate change financing from $1.1 trillion to over $4 trillion per year.
To achieve these goals, Dr. Al Jaber intends to emphasize the necessary unity and cooperation among all stakeholders: “Allow me to extend an open invitation to all parties, whether governments, private sector or civil society. Let’s not forget that progress comes through partnership, not through polarization. Let’s unite a divided world through a COP of solidarity, a COP of action and a COP for all. We must all move in the same direction. Because there is more energy in unity than in division”, he underlines.
This visit is the latest in Dr. Al Jaber’s global listening tour. This is a series of international visits which has so far included successful trips to India, the UK, Germany and the USA, with additional consultations planned in both developing countries and developed countries.
In the months to come, Dr. Al Jaber will continue to listen, consult and engage with representatives of civil society, indigenous peoples, the private sector, governments, women and youth. It is only through this inclusive, open, constructive and positive engagement that we will be able to achieve the progress that we collectively need.
Through this tour, the COP28 Presidency aims to build a common sense of urgency around climate action and hear the views of a diverse set of stakeholders from various sectors, including governments, businesses, universities and civil society, in order to unite efforts in view of COP28.
