Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, on Tuesday said the UAE's hosting of Cop28 will be the UAE's biggest event next year.
It follows the recent Cop27 climate summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and builds on the momentum from the meeting in Paris in 2015, when countries pledged to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
At Cop28, countries will for the first time assess the progress of that accord.
The global event, which will take place at Expo City Dubai, will welcome more than 140 heads of state and government and 80,000 participants.
"The UAE's hosting of Cop28 will be the most prominent event for the country in 2023," said Sheikh Mohammed, speaking on the first of a two-day government meeting of senior officials.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, special envoy for climate change and chairman of Masdar, gave a presentation at the meeting outlining what will be involved in hosting one of the largest global events of the year.
He also provided examples of the UAE’s achievements, including a stop to gas flaring since the 1970s under the directives of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
“The late Sheikh Zayed laid the foundations of environmental sustainability and climate action that we have built on in the past decades," Dr Al Jaber said.
"Today, we have a proven track record of reducing emissions, accelerating the growth of renewable energy and enabling the energy transition.”
He said the climate summit was “a global political, economic, scientific and social platform to achieve commitments” to reduce the effects of climate change through negotiations and to assess the progress made.
Dr Al Jaber said the UAE was committed to advancing climate action based on the outcomes of Cop27, where a historic agreement was reached to create a fund to cover climate damage endured by vulnerable nations.
A higher committee has been formed to supervise the preparations for Cop28. The committee is led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.
Dr Al Jaber said Cop28 was crucial because it was the first global stocktake of commitments made since the Paris Agreement in 2015.
The UAE, as the host country, will focus on finding practical solutions that ensure energy security while reducing emissions.
Dr Al Jaber has extended an open invitation to all government departments in the UAE to work closely with each other to make the event a success.
