COP28 will be UAE’s most important event in 2023, says Sheikh Mohammed

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said that COP28 will be the most important event hosted by the nation in 2023.

He was addressing the UAE Government’s annual meetings, which reviewed the significance of the UAE hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

During the session, Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, highlighted the importance of the UAE hosting the Conference of the Parties. Dr Al Jaber thanked the vision of the UAE leadership and highlighted the legacy of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in promoting sustainable development and environmental protection.

He said the determination of the UAE, its strong diplomatic relations with global nations and pragmatic position on climate action, underpinned by proven experience in the energy and sustainability sectors led to the nation securing the international consensus in 2021 to host COP28 in 2023.

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“The late Sheikh Zayed laid the foundations of environmental sustainability and climate action that we have built on in the past decades. Today, we have a proven track record of reducing emissions, accelerating the growth of renewable energy and enabling the energy transition,” said Dr Al Jaber. He also provided examples of the UAE’s achievements over the years, including stopping gas flaring since the 1970s under the directives of the late Sheikh Zayed.

Dr Al Jaber stated that led by the vision and directives of UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Masdar was launched in 2006 as the region’s first renewable energy and sustainability initiative. Today, Masdar has implemented several clean energy projects globally, including a solar-powered desalination project as well as a project to study the feasibility of low wind speed turbines. He added that the first phase of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park was launched in 2013, another testament to the country’s commitment to promoting renewable energy.

Dr Al Jaber said the UAE was the first country in the region to ratify the Paris Agreement and to announce a strategic initiative to achieve Net Zero by 2050. The UAE also hosts the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency. The country has invested more than $50bn in clean energy projects in 70 countries including 40 developing nations, and recently announced the UAE-US Partnership to Accelerate the Transition to Clean Energy (PACE).

He said that COP28, which will be hosted in the UAE in 2023 at Expo City Dubai, will be an important global event coinciding with the UAE National Day, adding that the event will welcome high-level participation including over 140 heads of state and government leaders, over 80,000 delegates and more than 5,000 media professionals.

He highlighted that hosting COP28 is a significant opportunity for the UAE to achieve political and economic benefits for the country, the region, and the world, including finding realistic, practical, and pragmatic solutions to accelerate the global energy transition.

He concluded by saying that the success of COP28 is a national responsibility and extended an open invitation to government and private sectors as well as all segments of society to come together in solidarity to host a successful and inclusive global event.