The presence of the COP28 Presidency in Brussels led to a meeting with Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra on Monday 13 November. With just a few weeks to go before the event, scheduled to take place in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) from 30 November to 12 December, this meeting was part of the preparations to discuss the main issues at stake. In a joint statement, Sultan Al Jaber and Mr Hoekstra stressed the urgent need at the COP28 to operationalise the mechanisms for financing loss and damage. This initiative includes early pledges. Commissioner Hoekstra announced a substantial EU contribution to this fund. This fund, which will be temporarily managed by the World Bank, was created at the COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh and is intended to support nations seriously affected by the consequences of climate change. It is due to take shape in Dubai, as part of a global approach focused on mitigation, adaptation and the implementation of climate actions. In a statement, Sultan Al Jaber welcomed the initiative, highlighting its potential impact on billions of people and livelihoods vulnerable to climate change. Finally, the two men agreed on the crucial importance of the success of the first-ever global stocktake of the Paris Agreement, a decisive factor in guiding and accelerating climate action in the years to come. In the margins of the ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, also met with the COP28 President-designate.
In a joint statement, Mr Borrell congratulated the Sultan on his ambition in the COP28 negotiations and reiterated the EU’s support in this regard. For his part, the future President of COP28 praised Europe’s leadership in the green transition. They agreed on the urgent need for concrete action on climate mitigation and adaptation, and on the importance of an inclusive COP28.
The Global Pledge initiative, which aims to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030, was one of the main avenues discussed.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to stress the need for a successful COP28 to limit global warming to 1.5°C and demonstrate the effectiveness of international diplomacy. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)