By Victoria Atino
The United Nations' annual climate change conference, known as 'Conference of the Parties' or 'COP,' is a pivotal gathering that brings together world leaders, ministers, and negotiators to forge a consensus on combating climate change.
This year, the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) will convene from November 30 to December 12 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Each year, a different city hosts this event to emphasize global collaboration.
Dr. Sultan al-Jaber, the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology for the UAE and Managing Director and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC Group), will lead the negotiations in Dubai.
The UAE will also use its COP presidency to highlight its international relevance and middle-power status on a global stage.
COP28 has a thematic program aimed at uniting various stakeholders, including governments at all levels, youth, businesses, investors, civil society, indigenous communities, and more.
The goal is to focus on specific solutions that need to be rapidly scaled up in this decade to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, enhance resilience, and mobilize significant financing. These solutions are a response to the Global Stocktake, which assesses the world's progress on climate action, identifies gaps, and paves the way for solutions beyond 2030.
COP28 will prioritize four fundamental paradigm shifts: Firstly, expediting the energy transition to drastically cut emissions by 2030, emphasizing the shift to cleaner and sustainable energy sources as a means to combat global warming.
It will also focus on transforming climate finance by honouring previous commitments and establishing a new financial framework to ensure sufficient funding for climate-related initiatives.
Thirdly, the conference will underscore the need to place nature, human well-being, and livelihoods at the core of climate action, with a commitment to safeguarding vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
COP28 will zero in on enhancing climate resilience through the development of strategies and policies that enable communities to adapt to and withstand the challenges of a changing climate. These four priorities set the stage for impactful action against the climate crisis.