The Cop28 President-Elect Is In Brazil To Discuss Climate Targets

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber is attending the Amazon Summit to assist address the growing impact of climate change.

Climate change requires an urgent course correction, according to Dr Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of the next Cop28 summit. Dr. Al Jaber, who is also the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, made his remarks during a speech at the Amazon Summit in Brazil, where world leaders are meeting to discuss solutions to the climate crisis, with a focus on saving the South American country's rainforests.

"Our ability to capture carbon is not keeping pace with the rise in emissions," said Dr. Al Jaber on Wednesday.

"That is why the Cop28 presidency is calling for a major course correction, backed up by a comprehensive plan of action."

Any plan must accelerate an equitable and orderly energy transition, address climate financing, and prioritise people's lives and livelihoods, according to Dr. Al Jaber. He complimented Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has overseen a 34% reduction in deforestation in the last six months and is seeking to achieve zero illegal deforestation by 2030. Dr. Al Jaber promised to help build on that effort in order to safeguard biodiversity around the world.

"The UAE sees itself as a natural partner in this effort, as we continue to build on our own legacy of biodiversity and environmental protection at home and around the world," he said.

Indigenous Concerns

According to Dr. Al Jaber, the upcoming Cop28 summit would also provide an opportunity for indigenous groups to have their concerns heard.

"We will promote the essential role that indigenous peoples play in preserving natural ecosystems through sustainable land use practises," he stated.

"Despite accounting for only 5% of the global population, indigenous communities protect more than 80% of our biodiversity."

"Their rights and way of life must be protected, and Cop28 will allow their voices to be heard and their wisdom to be amplified."

Finding finances to address the challenges caused by climate change will be another major focus of the conference, which will be held in Dubai later this year.

"We need to increase the availability, accessibility, and affordability of finance to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people while also ensuring that adequate finance meets the needs of nature," Dr. Al Jaber stated.

"This presidency will keep the pressure on donor countries to fulfil the overdue 100 billion pledge, and will seek to ensure that a designated portion of these funds is directed to nature and forest protection."

In addition to Mr da Silva of Brazil, Dr Al Jaber visited with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, with whom he highlighted the necessity of indigenous peoples' stewardship. During the conference in Brazil, Bolivian President Luis Arce met with Dr. Al Jaber to discuss climate funding. Dr. Al Jaber and Brazilian Minister of Health Nisia Trinidade Lima discussed the significance of maintaining health care at the forefront of the climate agenda.

The need for investments to enable climate-resilient, low-carbon, and sustainable health systems was also on the agenda. Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, also attended the occasion.

On the sidelines of the event, Dr. Al Jaber met with Brazilian Minister of Energy Alexandra Silvera to discuss "improving cooperation on accelerating a just and orderly energy transition, ramping up renewables, developing a hydrogen value chain, and decarbonizing the current energy system."

Source: thenationalnews.com