COP28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber has called on governments, industry, and all stakeholders to “disrupt business as usual” and take decisive action to tackle the climate crisis.
Speaking at the Ministerial on Climate Action in Brussels, which brings together the environment ministers of the European Union, Canada, and China, Dr. Al Jaber said it was time to challenge old models built for the last century and break down silos in industries and governments that slow down progress to a low carbon economy.
In his speech, Dr. Al Jaber outlined a wide-ranging plan for COP28 that focuses on four pillars: fast-tracking the energy transition, fixing climate finance, focusing on adaptation to protect lives and livelihoods, and underpinning everything with full inclusivity.
“We need to bridge divides that are blocking critical breakthroughs,” said Dr. Al Jaber as he outlined his plan of action for this year’s UN climate conference in the UAE. “This plan is guided by a single north star. And that is keeping 1.5 within reach.”
The plan includes tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, deploying technologies for hard-to-abate industries and launching critical dialogues with multinational organizations.
Dr. Al Jaber made critical calls to action and highlighted key efforts already underway: He urged the world to accelerate the “inevitable” and “essential” phase down of fossil fuels, calling for the tripling of renewable energy output to 11,000 gigawatts, the doubling of energy efficiency measures, and the doubling of hydrogen production to 180M tons per year by 2030. He also called on NOCs and IOCs to zero out methane emissions by 2030.
He called for a “comprehensive transformation” of climate finance instead of “piecemeal reform.” There should be a special focus on supporting “climate-positive development” across the Global South, to ensure that developing nations can have access to affordable and available climate finance to drive a just transition.
The COP28 Presidency is already working with the IMF, the World Bank and GFANZ to unlock the power of the capital markets, standardize voluntary carbon markets and incentivize private capital and finance.
To help the world’s most vulnerable withstand the impact of climate change, Dr. Al Jaber called on donors to double adaptation finance by 2025, emphasizing the urgency for donor country governments to honor their commitments and close out the $100 billion pledge this year.
Putting lives and livelihoods at the heart of the climate process, he shared his intention to advance the world’s focus on nature, food, health and resilience as part of a robust framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation.
He called on governments to integrate National Food System Transformation plans into both their NDCs and National Adaptation plans, and to participate in the first climate-health ministerial at COP28, on what will be the first day devoted to health at a COP. COP28 is currently partnering to convene this with the WHO, together with Germany, Kenya, the UK, Egypt, Brazil and Fiji.
This COP28 will be the most inclusive yet, featuring the largest ever youth climate delegate program and a pavilion for Indigenous Peoples, to tap into their concerns and wisdom as they protect 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity.
Dr. Al Jaber underscored the need to break down the silos between traditional and emerging energy sectors, announcing the launch of a series of integrated dialogues between the IEA, UNFCCC, and IRENA where specific actions on fast-tracking the energy transition can be agreed. The first meeting is in Goa at the G20 Clean Energy Ministerial later this month.
Pointing to the expected findings of the Global Stocktake on climate change, which will be published later this year, he said the world had to “unite, act and deliver” to solve the climate crisis. He called on all stakeholders to “partner around this shared opportunity.”
Dr. Al Jaber said: “Let’s mobilize to deliver supercharged solutions and ambitious outcomes. And let’s restore hope through unity and collective action.”
