The President of COP28 in the UAE, Sultan Al Jaber, responds to claims and reiterates his commitment to combating climate change with a focus on achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and reducing global emissions by 43% by 2030.
Respect for Science and Urgent Action
Responding to recent claims, President Al Jaber reaffirmed his respect for the science behind climate change and the urgency of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Emphasizing the need to reduce global emissions by 43% by 2030, he reiterated his unwavering commitment to these goals.
COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber addressed the media at a news conference, refuting allegations made in a recent article by The Guardian. The article misrepresented his stance on the phase out of fossil fuels, essential to limiting global heating to 1.5C.
Commitment to Climate Goals
President Al Jaber reiterated his clear commitment to the goal of keeping global heating within reach of 1.5C. He emphasized the inevitable and essential nature of phasing out fossil fuels, stressing the need for a fair, responsible, and well-managed transition in energy sources.
Underlining that the COP28 presidency actively called on parties to include all fossil fuels in the negotiating text, President Al Jaber expressed surprise at the misinterpretation of his statement. He highlighted the importance of facts and numbers, reaffirming the substantial impact of $57 billion in new pledges and commitments recorded in the first 3.5 days of the UN Climate Summit.
Global Commitments and Declarations
President Al Jaber highlighted the unprecedented commitment of the United States and China to reduce methane and other CO2 gases. He stressed the near-term impact of tackling methane, outlining its prominence on his agenda.
During COP28, President Al Jaber announced the formation of the Global Decarbonisation Alliance, with 50 oil and gas companies committing to zero methane emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. He also unveiled eight new declarations at COP28, focusing on hydrogen, cooling, and gender.
Future Outlook
In the coming days, additional declarations on crucial issues such as hydrogen, cooling, and gender will be shared, further underlining the commitment to addressing various aspects of climate change at COP28.
For more information, please visit Climate Action website.
Reporting by Bindu Rai, edited by Seban Scaria
Contact: Bindu.rai@lseg.com