His Majesty King Hamad will lead Bahrain’s delegation to the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) set to take place in Dubai, the Royal Court has announced.
His Majesty is participating on the invitation of UAE President Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
As the world wrangles over its next steps in fighting climate change, each country has its own concerns and interests they hope to advance at this year’s UN climate summit.
UN climate negotiations can only pass deals with unanimous support from all countries present. That makes finding consensus a daunting challenge.
The COP28 conference starts today and runs until December 12.
Organisers say it will be a milestone moment when the world will take stock of its progress on tackling the issue.
The first Global Stock Take (GST) will provide a comprehensive assessment of progress since adopting the Paris Agreement, an action plan adopted in 2015 to limit global warming. Its main elements are a long-term goal – governments agreed to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5C.
The latest gathering aims to ‘help align’ the efforts, including measures that need to be put in place to bridge any gaps in progress.
The COP28 UAE presidency will work to ensure that the world responds to the GST with a clear action plan and efforts received a boost by the consensus reached between the US and China, described as ‘a significant outcome’ ahead of the summit.
Tripling renewables capacity and cutting power-sector emissions by 2030, coupled with commitments to urgently reduce methane emissions and tackle all greenhouses gases, whilst anticipating peaking in this critical decade, will have a ‘meaningful impact for generations to come’.
“I welcome and congratulate the US and China on this significant announcement, which responds to the global community’s repeated calls for action and raises the bar for an ambitious response to the first Global Stock Take,” said Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate.
“The world needs good news, and expectations remain high. We must restore trust in multilateralism. The announcement demonstrates that, when we work towards a greater good, we can deliver historic, meaningful, high-ambition outcomes.
“The Global Stock Take evidences that there is much to be done to get back on track and keep 1.5°C within reach. It will require all parties to unite, act, and deliver a high-ambition GST decision at COP28.
“I urge all parties to raise ambition ahead of COP28.”
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