COP28 president Dr. Sultan Al Jaber today addressed global climate leaders and ministers at the opening session of the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial, where he highlighted the role the COP Presidencies Troika will play in driving ambition in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The first-of-its-kind COP Presidencies’ Troika was agreed in the historic UAE Consensus and aims to enhance continuity between COP28, COP29 and COP30, and drive implementation of the UAE Consensus.
In a segment titled ‘Presenting the Troika Vision’, Dr. Al Jaber was joined by COP29 president-designate Mukhtar Babayev and André Corrêa do Lago, secretary for climate, energy and environment for COP30 host Brazil.
Read: COP28 President receives leadership award for securing UAE Consensus
What’s next on COP agenda
“This Troika will help to ensure that the next crucial round of NDCs are in line with keeping our collective North Star of 1.5°C within reach,” Dr. Al Jaber told delegates.
“The UAE Consensus was a victory for multilateralism and proof of the power of inclusivity. It showed that positivity and solidarity can overcome pessimism and polarization,” Dr. Al Jaber said. “Countries set aside self-interest for the common good and united around the common goal of keeping 1.5°C within reach,” he added.
The next round of NDCs represent “a critical tool for correcting course” on climate action, Dr. Al Jaber said. “Parties must do the work now to ensure that their NDCs meet the urgency of the moment – and are submitted at least nine months before COP30.”
NDCs should be economy-wide and cover all greenhouse gases – including methane – he said, adding that countries should put policies in place to deliver emission reductions of 60 percent compared to 2019 levels, before 2035.
The COP28 president called for attendees to “follow the science” and ensure energy transition pathways are “just, orderly and responsible”.
Strengthening commitment
Ahead of the meeting, the COP Presidencies Troika issued a letter highlighting their commitment to “advocate strongly for early submissions of high ambition NDCs that decisively take forward the UAE Consensus”. The letter also commits the three presidencies’ host countries to submit 1.5°C aligned NDCs, guided by the UAE Consensus, by early 2025.
The Troika has also submitted a letter to UN secretary-general António Guterres to “ensure there is a unified, coherent, and effective technical support framework to member states, particularly developing countries, to prepare and implement the next generation of their NDCs”.
Dr. Al Jaber added: “At COP28 collectively, we changed the mindset that views climate action as a burden to one that sees it as an opportunity to stimulate new industries, leverage new technologies, including the transformative power of AI, create new jobs and drive sustainable growth.”
Finance is key
In his remarks, Dr Al Jaber emphasized the need to make efforts across the climate agenda. “Efforts to reduce emissions must be matched by equally strong action on adaptation. Parties should design comprehensive national adaptation plans that cover food systems, water security, nature and health, and are focused on peoples’ lives and livelihoods and critically, they must be well funded,” he added.
“Finance is the key enabler to all climate progress and essential to rebuilding trust, especially with the Global South,” the COP28 president stated. COP28 “delivered a trust-building breakthrough on Loss and Damage, by creating the Fund and mobilizing initial contributions,” he said, calling on all parties who can to make “a substantial contribution” to the Fund.
The COP28 president also issued an open invitation to all parties to attend the UAE Climate Finance Forum in Abu Dhabi in June, which will work towards realizing “a climate finance architecture that unlocks the trillions needed for transformational green growth”, he said.
The Copenhagen Climate Ministerial is taking place today and tomorrow in the Danish capital.
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