COP28 Summit Kicks Off in Dubai
The 28th UN International Climate Conference (COP28) has officially commenced in Dubai, bringing together leaders from over 190 countries, scientists, and representatives of civil society. The conference, which will run until December 12, will see the participation of more than 70 thousand delegates, making it the largest gathering in the history of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
One of the key events at COP28 is the World Climate Action Summit, scheduled for December 1-2, which will focus on addressing the global climate crisis. Additionally, a session of the High-Level Segment will feature heads of state and government delivering national statements on their countries’ positions on climate change. President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov is among the leaders participating in the summit.
In a landmark decision made on the first day of the conference, delegates created a new fund to aid developing countries in preventing and recovering from climate change-related disasters. Several governments, including the host nation, Germany, the UK, and the US, made significant initial contributions to the fund, with the host nation contributing $100 million.
COP28 comes at a critical time as the planet continues to grapple with devastating floods, wildfires, and what is likely to be the hottest year in human history. The summit serves as an opportunity for countries to develop joint goals and various instruments, including climate finance, to better manage climate change.
Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement at COP21 in 2015, parties to the summit have been focused on preventing global temperature rise above 2 degrees Celsius. At COP28, for the first time, a global inventory of the Paris Agreement will be conducted to analyze humanity’s collective progress towards achieving the agreement’s goals. Based on the results of this monitoring, a plan will be developed to guide the international community in achieving climate goals, with governments required to integrate this plan into their national climate change plans and report progress to the UN in 2025.
The decisions and discussions taking place at COP28 are crucial in charting the course for global climate action and addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change.
This article was originally published by ORIENT News.
