In order to keep global warming to 1.5C, the world somehow needs to find a way to cut global emissions by 43%, the President of COP28, Dubai’s Dr Sultan Al Jaber outlined today in Brussels.

The United Arab Emirates, host of the upcoming UN climate summit in November, outlined its agenda for the COP28 meeting.

Al Jaber outlined a set of actions in front of Ministers from 40 nations, including the US, China and a G20 group. 

In the Paris Agreement signed in 2016, nations across the world promised to cut green house gas pollution by 43% in order to limit global warming to 1.5C.

This now seems unlikely to happen.

“We must be laser-focused on building the energy system of the future, a system free of unabated fossil fuels…(the) phase-down of fossil fuels is inevitable,” Jaber said in Brussels.

Jaber previously conceeded the world was on track for at least 2C warming, rather than 1.5C

“I hope we can actually push the ambition even more, but right now we are just below the two-degree line,” Almheiri told reporters in Dubai earlier this month, the FT reported.

Dr Al Jaber is the Head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies.

COP28 UAE:

• COP28 UAE will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30-December 12, 2023. The Conference is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors.
• As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, COP28 UAE will deliver the first ever Global Stocktake – a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals.
• The UAE will lead a process for all parties to agree upon a clear roadmap to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to inclusive climate action