COP28 President-Designate tells CARICOM heads of Government that the UAE is focused on uniting parties in a COP of Action, a COP for All, and a COP that delivers for All

• Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate, addresses Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Port of Spain
• "The world must now bring pace and scope to the climate challenge. We need transformational progress, not incremental steps. And we need to challenge old models of doing things if we want different results."
• "We are determined to make COP28 a COP of Action and Solidarity, a COP that unites all and delivers for all."
• "We have just seven years to cut emissions by 43 percent, live up to the Paris Agreement and keep 1.5 within reach."
• "We need to shift gears across mitigation, loss and damage, and of course climate finance."
• "We must fast-track a just and equitable energy transition that leaves no one behind, triple renewable energy capacity and double hydrogen production."
• "We must protect nature, enhance food and health systems, and upgrade adaptation responses."
• "This means delivering the global goal on adaptation and doubling adaptation finance."
• "Finance underpins everything. It is essential, of course for the fund and funding arrangements for loss and damage."
• "We need to bring everyone to the table from across the financial community, using every tool available, to take a holistic approach to a global challenge."
• "This COP will continue to put finance and IFI (International Financial Institution) reform at the top of the international agenda."
• "We need to keep the pressure on donor countries to deliver the $100 billion pledge that they made over a decade ago. This must be finalized this year, so that we can tackle a broader systematic issue."
• "The current international financial architecture is not fit for purpose. Climate finance is nowhere near available, accessible or affordable enough."
• "At COP28, the Caribbean region will have a critical role in bringing countries together and contributing to a consensus-driven approach across every climate pillar."
• "The Caribbean community, with CARICOM as its unifying voice, can help marshal support for ambitious negotiated outcomes and a transformative action agenda."
• "Working in solidarity, we can deliver a just energy transition that embraces clean technologies without sacrificing energy security or national prosperity."

ABU DHABI, UAE, July 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, today addressed the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Trinidad and Tobago, where he said Caribbean nations will play a critical role at COP28 in aligning support for climate action, and that old models must be challenged to ensure that climate diplomacy delivers results for Caribbean nations.

"At COP28, the Caribbean region will have a critical role in bringing countries together and contributing to a consensus-driven approach across every climate pillar," Dr. Al Jaber told delegates. "The Caribbean community, with CARICOM as its unifying voice, can help marshal support for ambitious negotiated outcomes and a transformative action agenda. Working in solidarity, we can deliver a just energy transition that embraces clean technologies, without sacrificing energy security or national prosperity."

The COP28 President-Designate paid tribute to the work of Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, in driving climate finance reform for vulnerable countries across the Global South.

"As Prime Minister Mottley said in Paris, the world must now bring pace and scope to the climate challenge," he said. "We need transformational progress, not incremental steps. And we need to challenge old models of doing things if we want different results."

With just seven years to go to achieve the Paris Agreement goals, "we need to shift gears across mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and of course climate finance," Dr. Al Jaber stated.

"We must fast-track a just and equitable energy transition that leaves no one behind, triple renewable energy capacity and double hydrogen production. We must protect nature, enhance food and health systems and upgrade adaptation responses."

Doing the latter will require "delivering the global goal on adaptation and doubling adaptation finance," the President-Designate said. "Finance underpins everything. It is essential, of course for the fund and funding arrangements for loss and damage. And this COP will continue to put finance and IFI (International Financial Institution) reform at the top of the international agenda."

The President-Designate said "we need to keep the pressure on donor countries to deliver the $100 billion pledge that they made over a decade ago. This must be finalized this year, so that we can tackle a broader systematic issue."

"The current international financial architecture is not fit for purpose," he stated. "Climate finance is nowhere near available, accessible or affordable enough. MDBs (Multilateral Development Banks) are not supplying sufficient concessional funds that can lower risk and attract much more private capital and finance."

"This must change, and we need to bring everyone to the table from across the financial community, using every tool available, to take a holistic approach to a global challenge," Dr. Al Jaber said.

Notes to Editors:

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.