The 7th Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA) opened in Brussels on 13 July, for two days, against the backdrop of a twofold urgency. This major international meeting, attended each year by ministers from the G20 countries and other key parties to the United Nations climate negotiations, takes place this year at the halfway point between the 2015 Paris Agreement and the 2030 deadline, the first milestone on the road to climate neutrality.
And as the 28th Conference of the Parties – and with it the conclusions of the first global stocktaking exercise – moves forward apace, it was in the presence of its designated – and controversial – President, Sultan Al Jaber, and the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Simon Stiell, that the co-organisers of the MoCA – the Commission’s Executive Vice-President, Frans Timmermans, the Chinese Minister for Ecology and the Environment, Huang Runqiu, and his Canadian counterpart, Steven Guilbeault – in turn signalled their desire to “accelerate” and strengthen the implementation of adaptation measures in the face of an ever-intensifying crisis.
“We should be working together to triple the global rate of deployment of renewable energy by 2030, we should be working together to double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency this decade compared to last. We should ensure that the tasks of the old energy system are also addressed in parallel. We need to move to an energy system free of fossil fuels well before 2050”, said Mr Timmermans during his introductory speech. He added: “We will be counting on everyone’s support to achieve these goals and I look forward to hearing what Mr Sultan has to say about how these goals can be part of the key outcomes of COP28”.
Gathering all the attention, Sultan Al-Jaber submitted an action plan based on four pillars and guided by the need for an “accelerated energy transition”, focusing on reducing dependence on fossil fuels and increasing the capacity of renewable energies and hydrogen.
The Sultan also called for a review of the relationship between policy-makers, energy producers and industrial consumers to tackle all emissions.
The future President of COP28 also stressed the importance of resolving the issue of financing the fight against climate change, which was on the agenda for this first session, and called for a transformation of the current financial architecture and for holistic solutions to mobilise large-scale private capital for climate action.
He urged donor countries to honour their commitments and double funding for adaptation by 2025. He also stressed the need to “make the Green Climate Fund fully operational” and the financing agreements for loss and damage.
Finally, Sultan Al-Jaber reiterated the importance of including all stakeholders in the fight against climate change and called for a cross-sectoral approach that prioritises “people’s lives and livelihoods” and incorporates the voices of indigenous peoples, young people, local governments and civil society.
At the end of his opening remarks announcing a first day of dialogue dedicated to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the first global assessment, and to the financing of loss and damage, Simon Stiell noted that “the enthusiasm generated by the conversation on the energy transition is palpable”.
On Friday 14 July, discussions will focus on climate change mitigation, global cooperation on renewable energy and energy efficiency, strengthening adaptation measures and providing climate financing. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)