COP28 summit Dubai top developments: UN chief slams lack of political will against complete "phaseout" of fossil fuels

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber welcomed the Chinese delegation to COP28 and joined them for the inauguration of the China Pavilion.

German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann said, "It is a very, very important moment to sit together. We are still far away from the aims we want to achieve and we have to try to figure out how to mitigate and adapt to climate change. India is a very, very important partner. It's the most populous nation on earth. It is full of creativity, full of new ideas, full of very, very engaging and committed technology and also politics when it comes to renewables."

"I think India will be a hugely important partner. Germany and India have this partnership for green and sustainable development. We sit together, we work together on solutions...And in COP28, we will bring this together in the realm of nations and we'll try to find solutions for it." 

On the sidelines of the COP28 Summit, Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General said, "What's absolutely on the agenda is the financing, because, you know, way back in 2009, the world committed to producing $100 billion, particularly important to those small and developing countries who are the worst affected by climate change. So I hope we will deliver on our financial obligations."

"We know that it's going to take about $4 trillion a year in order to meet the 2030 agenda and the Paris Agenda, but right now, we only have 630 billion dollars, so we're nowhere near the target...So we need to get serious about the money we need and make sure those who are really in need get it..."

COP28 President Dr Sultan al-Jaber meets with Bhupender Yadav, India’s Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. "Together we are working to deliver the highest ambition to the Global Stocktake," COP28 handle on X said while sharing a picture of the leaders. 

PM Modi during his visit to UAE will be giving an address at COP28 and will also be participating in three high-level side events of which two are being co-hosted by India.

The first high-level event, which is the launch of the Green Credits Initiative, will be co-hosted by India and the UAE. 

The second side event, which is co-hosted by India and Sweden, is the launch of LeadIT 2.0, essentially a leadership group for energy transition, MEA said. 

"This was a joint initiative launched by India and Sweden in 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York. This initiative fosters collaboration among the decision-makers bringing together both the public sector and the private sector with the objective of accelerating the industry transition to net zero emissions," FS Kwatra said. 

Additionally, PM will also be participating in another high-level event which is titled "Transforming Climate Finance" which is to be hosted by the presidency of COP28 - the UAE."

Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra while briefing the media on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UAE for the COP28 World Climate Action Summit said that the PM "will be attending the Summit events tomorrow, 1st December before returning to India later tomorrow evening...In terms of the Prime Minister's participation at the COP28, he will deliver his address at the opening session of the World Climate Action Summit."

Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Thursday (Nov 30) said, "Prime Minister will have a set of bilateral meetings with many of his counterparts" on the sidelines of COP28 World Climate Action Summit in the UAE.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, said that COP28 climate talks should aim for a complete "phaseout" of fossil fuels and while referring to the 1.5C climate goal, said: "It is not dead, it’s alive."

"We have the potential, the technologies and the capacity and the money - because the money is available, it’s a question of making sure it goes into the right direction- to do what is necessary, not only to keep the 1.5 degrees alive, but alive and well. The only thing that is still lacking is political will," he was quoted as saying by news agency AFP

Pope Francis called off his visit to Dubai for the COP28 climate talks after developing flu-like symptoms, the Vatican said in a statement on Tuesday (Nov 28).

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to participate in the World Climate Action Summit (WCAS) in Dubai on December 1.

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Ahead of COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, a study published earlier this week has claimed that billions of people are expected to be displaced within the next 25 years because of severe impacts of climate change. 

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Countries are expected to seal a hard-fought agreement on Thursday (Nov 30) for the purported creation of an international fund to help communities rebuild from climate-driven calamities.

The hosts of the summit, known as COP28, released a draft agreement on Wednesday that would accept wholesale the recommendations a handful of countries adopted earlier this month. It includes a provision that says all contributions to the fund are voluntary, an assertion set to raise concerns in the countries of Global South.

The UN Climate Change Conference, COP28, set to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from November 30 to December 12, 2023, marks a significant global effort to address climate change.

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All eyes are set on the COP28 climate summit which will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Nov 30 to Dec 12. The summit will be held at the Expo City, Dubai. This year, the COP28 will face a set of controversial issues for countries that are working to find a common ground in tackling climate change. 

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