DUBAI: Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President, underscored the United Arab Emirates' unwavering commitment to climate action, highlighting the role of the nation's visionary leadership and the collective determination of its people and residents in solidifying its global position as a pioneer in climate action.

He emphasised that the UAE's approach of openness, partnership building, and cooperation has been instrumental in raising the bar of ambition and achieving tangible progress in addressing climate change.

Dr Al Jaber made the statements during the COP28 Media Majlis, which was attended today by the conference presidency team. It served as a platform to showcase the remarkable strides made in the lead-up to COP28.

Dr. Al Jaber commended the COP28 team's dedication and highlighted significant contributions to crucial areas, including:

-The Loss and Damage Fund to support nations already grappling with the impacts of climate change;

-In response to the call of the conference presidency, 85% of the world's economies have committed to triple the production capacity of renewable energy sources by 2030;

-For the first time, many oil and gas companies have also committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, and to reducing methane emissions to "net zero" by 2030;

-In addition, the world's two largest economies, the United States and China, have agreed on climate action and on reducing methane emissions.

He emphasised the presidency's commitment to bridging the gap between ambition and actual achievement by engaging all stakeholders in the negotiations, rebuilding trust in COPs through transparency, clarity, and inclusion.

Dr Al Jaber pointed to the attendance of over 180 heads of state and government at the conference, the presence of a faith pavilion for the first time at a COP, the commitment of several oil companies to achieve climate neutrality, in addition to the record number of requests to attend the conference, which reached 97,000 participants in the blue zone, and 400,000 in the green zone.

COP28's Youth Climate Champion, Shamma Al Mazrui, the Minister of Community Development, who a attended the council, emphasised the need to amplify the contributions of global charitable organisations to youth organizations, particularly in developing nations. She explained that the UAE's decision to create the role of ‘COP28 Youth Climate Champion’ aims to enhance young people's understanding of climate change and empower them to play an active role in addressing its impacts. She commended the leadership's unwavering support for collective action and the emphasis on inclusivity in the preparatory work for the conference.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, applauded the COP28 team's efforts on the food security front and underscored the UAE's unwavering commitment to addressing food and agriculture issues within the conference agenda. She stressed that tackling the global food crisis requires a collective effort, extending beyond governments and the private sector. She advocated for a shift in human lifestyles and consumption patterns to effectively contribute to improving livelihoods.

Razan Al Mubarak, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion from the COP28 Presidency, highlighted her mission to mobilise stakeholders, inspire action, and empower all segments of society and its institutions to play a leading role in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. She showcased examples of the conference presidency team's successful efforts in supporting global climate neutrality initiatives.

COP28 Director-General Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi reiterated the critical role of financing in achieving tangible climate action. He acknowledged the current insufficiency of readily available, accessible, and affordable climate financing. He called for an agreement on developing climate financing mechanisms during COP28 and urged all parties to collaborate in fulfilling previous commitments to rebuild trust in the multilateral system, adopt a sustainable future-oriented financial framework, and increase climate financing from billions to trillions of dollars.

Adnan Amin, CEO of COP28, expressed optimism about the collaborative spirit prevailing during the conference preparations. He affirmed the COP28 team's unwavering commitment to constructive cooperation with all parties concerned to forge consensus and achieve reliable and balanced outcomes that send a clear message to the world about the future of climate action.

Simon Steele, Executive Director of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, echoed the sentiment, emphasising COP28's significance as the most crucial conference of the parties since the Paris Agreement. He expressed hope that the achievements of the transitional committees throughout the year will empower the parties to resolve and agree upon complex challenges, and that COP28 will serve as a springboard for ambitious goals and achievements during COP29 and COP30 conferences, ultimately leading to an exponential increase in climate financing from billions to trillions of dollars.