UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, Sultan Al Jaber, has officially opened the COP28 climate talks and assumed the role of COP28 President in the formal passing of the gavel from his predecessor, COP27 President Sameh Shoukry.

“As I today perform my very last duty as COP President, as Egypt hands over the baton of responsibility for global climate action to the UAE, I am confident that addressing these challenges will be the focus of incoming President Sultan Al Jaber and his able team,” said Sameh Shoukry, COP27 President, during the opening plenary of COP28.

After assuming the role, Sultan Al Jaber called on the global leaders saying, “You have the power to do something unprecedented.” He also appealed them to “rise above” differences as they have “power to do something unprecedented.

Sultan Al Jaber said, “Let’s rise above our differences to make the difference for future generations. You have the power to do something unprecedented.”

“Let’s unite around the agenda and restore our faith in multilateralism,” the COP28 President further urged at the plenary ceremony.

As COP28 began on Thursday, Sultan Al Jaber met with Bhupender Yadav, India’s Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

“Together we are working to deliver the highest ambition to the Global Stocktake,” he said on in a social media post as the two met.

The UAE and 198 Parties prepare for two weeks of intensive climate negotiations at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties (COP28), which kick off in Dubai on Thursday, with host country hoping to land a deal on the tripling of renewable energy and double the energy efficiency improvement rate by 2030.

COP28 is the UN’s latest round of global climate talks. This year, it is being hosted by the UAE in Dubai and is due to be attended by 167 world leaders, including the Pope and King Charles III.

The energy transition will be the central theme around COP28 in Dubai on the occasion of the twenty-eighth United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP28).

This year’s summit is crucial as it comes against the background of climate urgency and the experts are making a clarion call of now or never.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the opening session of the World Climate Action Summit in the United Arab Emirates and participate in the three high-level side events, of which two will be co-hosted by India.

PM Modi will depart for the UAE today (Thursday) evening and attend the summit events on Friday. The Prime Minister visited the UAE in July this year.

The World Climate Action Summit is the high-level segment of the 28 Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

COP28 is being held from November 28 to December 12 under the Presidency of the UAE. The Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC provides a unique opportunity to impart momentum for collective action towards combating the shared challenge of climate change.

During the COP26 in Glasgow, PM Modi said  five specific targets, titled “Panchamrit,” as India’s unprecedented contribution to climate action. (ANI)