22 Weeks To Go

The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UNFCCC will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 30 November to 12 December 2023. In the coming months, our UAE office selects and shares articles to keep you informed on preparations and perspectives from the wider Arabian Gulf.

IMF, World Bank, UN and COP28 to organize additional finance roundtables. With the objective of joining efforts from the Financing Summit in Paris through to COP28, the institutions agreed to organize additional high-level roundtable discussions this year, to further climate finance solutions. The participants of the roundtable in Paris recognized that private capital will need to play a key role in addressing the financing gap for transitioning to net zero.?

COP28 President-Designate participated in London Climate Action Week. Sultan Al Jaber met with a wide range of key stakeholders during a visit to London last week, including King Charles III, the UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, as well as business leaders, university students and young climate advocates. He also attended a business roundtable on climate solutions organized by the King.

Africa will host its first climate summit in Nairobi in September. The Africa Climate Summit will be co-hosted by Kenya and the African Union Commission. The Kenyan Environment Minister noted that the Summit should be used as a springboard for Africa's engagement with the next global round of climate diplomacy at COP28. The summit will also focus on climate finance, and organizers hope the results will come to fruition at COP28.

UAE appoints two sustainability ambassadors ahead of COP28. Two Emiratis have been appointed sustainability ambassadors for the UAE's Year of Sustainability team. Ali Al Shimmari and Abdulla Al Remeithi have been chosen to promote collaborative sustainable practices. The two sustainability experts will provide research support and advise private and public entities on relevant policies and initiatives.

AGSIW: UAE must act as time and MENA carbon budgets are running out. The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington published a paper concluding that the UAE, as one of the world’s biggest oil producers and a leader in renewable energy technologies, will need to prove it can provide a neutral space for constructive talks to push the climate agenda forward. It adds that COP28 might prove to be a make-or-break summit for climate action.

King Charles III launches climate clocks initiative in UK to raise urgency. King Charles III and London's Mayor Sadiq Khan launched a Climate Clock as a warning that there are only around six years left to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. The clock also visualizes the Renewable Energy Lifeline, which monitors the percentage share of global consumption generated by renewable resources.

UN deputy chief praises China’s investment in tackling climate change. Amina Mohammed praised China’s role in being an innovator and believer in the power of multilateralism to overcome challenges through collective action, pointing out that over half of the world’s new renewables are projected to be in China, both this year and next. She said China had an opportunity “to set the example of?a new development pathway that decouples growth from emissions".

Opinion: Power of oil companies will not be curbed at COP28. The Guardian published an opinion piece stating that despite the fact that fossil fuel lobbyists need to identify themselves as such when registering for COP28, this will not curb their power. Instead, the author sees it as a "shockingly small first step". The article also summed up the history of fossil fuel executives at climate conferences and called on the UN to address these structural challenges.

US Chamber of Commerce concludes GreenTech business mission in UAE. The purpose was to connect leading American businesses with potential investment opportunities in the UAE, and to learn about plans and priorities for COP28. Over 127 delegates from 68 businesses participated in the mission, ranging from startups to multinational corporations. The mission built on last year's GreenTech mission to Egypt in advance of COP27.

Oman to develop 52 Green Schools to boost circular economy. The Omani Ministry of Education is set to launch the second phase of a national project called Green Schools to ensure environmental sustainability. By aligning with global trends, the Green Schools project aims to mitigate environmental risks and threats, address undesirable behavior among young students, and cultivate a sense of responsibility towards their community.

European cities and regions outline their ambitions ahead of COP28. During a summit at the European Committee of Regions, participants presented their key demands, which include recognizing formally?the role of subnational governments?in global climate negotiations,?accelerating and?scaling?up climate action by working across all levels of governance and sectors,?and?providing direct EU financing?and technical assistance?to cities and regions.

Climate finance to be in the spotlight over the next six months. A series of meetings will take place ahead of COP28 aiming to overhaul the world's financial system to tackle climate change and poverty. A G20 leaders meeting in New Delhi in September will be followed by the UN Climate Ambition Summit in New York (also in September) as well as the World Bank and IMF annual meetings in Marrakech in mid-October.

'Climate washing' lawsuits jump as activists challenge corporate claims. 'Climate washing' litigation has risen sharply in the last two years as environmental groups and governments grow frustrated with corporate claims about their contribution to tackling climate change. That is the conclusion of a report published last week by London's Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

Saudi-backed Lucid strikes Aston Martin electric car deal. Saudi Arabia-backed electric car manufacturer Lucid has announced that it has entered into a strategic technology partnership with British supercar maker Aston Martin. The firms will accelerate the British brand’s high-performance electrification strategy and long-term growth. The relationship will give Aston Martin access to world-leading electric powertrain technology.

Saudi Arabia launches Smarter Climate Farmers Challenge. The Kingdom launched the project together with Uplink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum. It aims to optimize global crop yield, enhance farmers' resilience and promote zero-emission practices using sustainable agriculture. The Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning also called for immediate action to address food security challenges.

UAE President and Bill Gates discuss COP28 and climate change. In a phone call, the billionaire philanthropist and co-president of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation?congratulated Sheikh Mohamed on Eid Al Adha. They discussed a wide range of topics, including the COP28 summit and how modern technology and innovation were important in the race to find effective and long-lasting solutions to environmental issues.?