Dr Sultan Al Jaber praises China and calls for collective action to meet Paris goals

The Cop28 President met senior Chinese government officials and discussed a range of topics around climate change

Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Cop28 President-designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber addressed a high-level forum on green development in Beijing. Photo: Cop28

Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Cop28 President-designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber has commended China’s climate action initiatives, while emphasising the need for collective global action to meet the goals of the Paris agreement.

Countries committed to limiting average global temperature increases to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels under the 2015 Paris Agreement.

While addressing a high-level forum on green development in Beijing, Dr Al Jaber said China is “driving green growth, not just in Belt and Road countries but around the world.”

“China has the potential to lead the world in turning the goals of Paris into a solid and durable reality.”

The UN has said that meeting the 1.5°C target would prevent at least 10 million people globally from losing their homes to rising sea levels, and it would drastically reduce the number suffering from water shortages.

“The world can only succeed if all countries, all companies, all stakeholders work together," Dr Al Jaber said.

"As the Belt and Road Initiative has shown over the past 10 years, we can achieve great things through partnership and collaboration.

“The Cop28 team has listened to and engaged with many people from all walks of life to develop a plan based on four pillars.”

The four pillars of the Cop28 presidency’s action agenda are: fast-tracking a just and orderly energy transition; fixing climate finance; focusing on people, lives, and livelihoods; and underpinning everything with full inclusivity.

“China is the powerhouse that can make it happen,” Dr Al Jaber said of the first pillar.

Last month, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said his country fully supports the UAE in hosting Cop28.

During his China visit, Dr Al Jaber met senior figures from the Chinese government and discussed a range of topics surrounding climate change.

On the second pillar of fixing climate finance, he called on countries to live up to their responsibilities.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber praised China’s climate action initiatives. Photo: Cop28

“The $100 billion pledge must be fulfilled … nice words won’t do it. The Global South needs to see it actually happen.”

The high-level forum on green development comes before the pre-Cop on October 30-31 in the UAE, where senior leaders and ministers will gather to make major progress on defining and driving consensus on negotiations in advance of Cop28.

Cop28 will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12.

Dr Al Jaber said Cop28 will be the first to integrate health and climate.

“I am calling on all countries to sign up to the Cop28 declarations on food and on health. These are people focused initiatives that need support from every country, including China.”

“We live in turbulent times against a complex geopolitical backdrop. Cop28 provides a global platform for the world to set aside differences and come together around a common challenge that affects us all."

Updated: October 19, 2023, 5:04 AM