COP28 President-Designate says world not ‘powerless’ to fight climate change

In an optimistic message, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President-Designate Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber called upon the world to stand by each other and cooperate against climate change, as human beings “are not powerless.”

“Climate change is our common enemy, and we must unite to fight it,” he was quoted as saying by the UAE state-owned news agency WAM during his speech before the UN Climate Ambition Summit in New York on September 21.

While he noted that time is running out for humanity because the global stocktake on climate change showed that the world has to accelerate their pledges of cutting greenhouse gas emissions, he stressed that people are not “powerless” to cut their emissions over the coming seven years to keep the 1.5°C goal within reach.

Speaking about the UAE’s role in reaching a consensus on taking action regarding climate change at COP28, which is due to convene from November 30 until December 12 in Dubai, Al Jaber said, “We are working tirelessly to advance an ambitious climate agreement between all 198 Parties. However, climate change won’t be solved through agreement alone. It can only truly be addressed through Action. That’s precisely what we aim to achieve through the COP28 Action Agenda.”

He pointed out that the COP28 presidency’s agenda aims to “fast-track a just and orderly energy transition, fix climate finance, focus on lives and livelihoods, and underpin everything with full inclusivity.”

He noted that phasing down fossil fuels and adopting zero-carbon alternatives are essential, calling for expanding the use of renewable energy.

Al Jaber also called for “creating an ecosystem where finance is more available, more accessible and more affordable so that the money flows to where it needs to go – to the people who need it most.”

He highlighted that people have to practice their rights to “clean water, clean air, economic opportunity, safety in the storm,” noting that COP28 is the first climate summit that includes global health on its agenda.