Global energy decision makers meet for first major summit in run-up to Cop28

High-level dialogue took place in Goa and was co-led by Dr Sultan Al Jaber

'Cop28 represents a milestone opportunity for the world to come together,' Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and President-designate of Cop28. Photo: Wam

The first of a series of high-level dialogues between global energy decision makers ahead of Cop28 took place in Goa, India, on Friday.

The meeting was co-led by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and President-designate of Cop28.

“Cop28 represents a milestone opportunity for the world to come together, unite around decisive action, and drive progress towards keeping the goals of the Paris Agreement alive and 1.5°C within reach,” said Dr Al Jaber, according to state news agency Wam.

“This will require a collective effort and so we need everyone at the table – and that includes the energy industry.

“Building a new energy system can only happen at speed and scale with united action on the supply and the demand sides together.”

The high-level dialogues will bring public and private sector energy decision makers together under the framework of a Cop summit for the first time, he added.

“They will help redesign the relationship between policymakers, the biggest energy producers and the biggest industrial consumers,” Dr Al Jaber said.

“This is one of my presidency’s key priorities and will be a crucial step in building consensus on how best to deliver the energy system of the future.”

The dialogue took place on the sidelines of the 14th Clean Energy Ministerial, alongside the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting.

The discussion was the first in a major series of high-level dialogues in the lead-up to Cop28 around building a 1.5°C-aligned energy transition.

The climate change conference will take place in Dubai later this year.

“The IEA has put forward a comprehensive energy package that can help make Cop28 a success,” said Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, who co-led the discussions.

“This includes tripling global renewables capacity, doubling energy efficiency progress, slashing emissions from the oil and gas industry, boosting clean energy finance for developing economies, redirecting fossil fuel investment into clean energy and putting fossil fuel demand into sharp decline.

“Every stakeholder must play their part – including oil and gas producers, which need to set out and deliver on aggressive targets to cut their emissions by 2030.”

Also in attendance was Francesco La Camera, director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency.

“Our collective promise was to secure a climate-safe existence for current and future generations. We simply cannot continue with incremental changes,” said Mr Le Camera.

“There is no time for a new energy system to evolve gradually over centuries, as was the case for the fossil fuel-based system.

“Irena centres the renewables-based energy transition as the most realistic climate solution and calls for a tripling of annual renewable energy additions to keep global warming within 1.5°C.”

The conference in Dubai could be a significant breakthrough in the battle to curb climate change, said another expert.

“It is my hope that these dialogues will pave the way for specific commitments and actions by parties at Cop28, bringing us all closer to the sustainable and climate-resilient future that is called for in the Paris Agreement,” said Simon Steill, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

“It's time for decisive action from all stakeholders.”