COP28 president, Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, called on governments to act with three times more urgency on renewable energy. He announced a plan to double energy efficiency by 2030. The aim is for the international community to align with the Paris Climate Agreement and keep the global temperature rise within 1.5°C by the end of the century.
Speaking at the opening of the International Climate and Energy Summit, organized by the International Energy Agency and the Ministry of Ecological Transformation and Demographic Challenge under the Spanish Council Presidency, at Teatro Real in Madrid, the EU was acknowledged as part of this cooperative effort.
"Absolute decarbonization of the energy we use today needs to happen quickly," declared Al Jaber, noting a commitment adopted that Monday by a coalition of 20 oil and gas companies to eliminate methane emissions from 2030 and to show significant progress toward net zero by or before 2050.
He invited other energy sector players to join the coalition to help "build the new energy system of the future."
Speaking via video conference, the COP28 president reminded attendees that there are 59 days left until the 18th UN Climate Summit. He warned that the world is not on track to keep 1.5°C within reach and emphasized the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 22 gigatonnes over the next seven years.
"This will require unity and solidarity at a global level," Al Jaber said, outlining that COP28 will focus on action, participation, and results to ensure a rapid and just energy transition with climate finance guiding the effort toward people and lives with full participation.
During the meeting in Abu Dhabi, leaders from the oil and gas sector heard a clear message to accelerate the shift toward a fossil fuel free energy system. The alliance of oil and gas players with gas has intensified its push for stronger commitments.
Chaired by Faith Birol of the International Energy Agency and Teresa Ribera, the third vice president of the interim government, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a video message. He underscored the urgency of reaching 1.5°C and urged new commitments in energy efficiency, a tripling of renewable energy capacity, a 75 percent reduction in methane emissions by 2030, and universal energy access.
Guterres also called for a shared commitment to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. He urged governments to speed up the pathway to net zero in developed economies and to bring developing economies as close as possible to 2050.
Additionally, he pressed developed countries to fulfill their pledge of $100 billion for climate funds and for development banks to enable private financing at affordable costs to cut emissions and support adaptation.
The UN Secretary-General reflected on his own acceleration agenda, urging all companies, including fossil fuel players, to develop credible transition plans. He asserted that reaching the 1.5°C limit is practical and achievable and encouraged rapid action.
At the opening of the summit, Faith Birol outlined five priorities for COP28 in Dubai. The agenda includes tripling global renewable capacity, doubling energy efficiency, reducing fossil fuel dependence, and establishing a mechanism to fund clean energy installations in developing countries.
Credible commitments amid geopolitical fragmentation
Birol highlighted the critical need to finance clean energy in developing nations and to see credible commitments from the oil and gas sector, aligning their actions with the Paris Agreement’s goals.
He acknowledged the substantial challenges posed by geopolitical fragmentation and noted that a lack of international cooperation can hinder progress. He remains hopeful that focus can be maintained on practical cooperation despite tensions between countries.
Birol stressed that solar energy is central to future decarbonization and that fossil fuels will yield to new energy technologies as the dominant force in the sector, though fossil fuels will still play a role for some time. He also noted a global rise in renewable energy deployments, pointing to notable growth in electric transportation and a surge in renewable capacity and investment.
Teresa Ribera, the third vice president who hosted the meeting with energy ministers worldwide, described climate change as a global problem needing a coordinated response through multilateralism. She celebrated new actions by energy organizations, companies, and governments, while acknowledging gaps toward the Paris targets and stressing the need to push forward rather than stop.
Ribera added that the discussions during COP28 should address concerns from diverse countries in varying situations, ensuring those concerns are understood in advance through ongoing talks. Throughout the day, a range of roundtable discussions brought together civil society, governments, and other representatives to present demands and contribute to proposals for COP28.
Finally, COP28 director general Adnan Amin warned that the window to hold the global temperature increase to 1.5°C has narrowed. The presidency called for action on four key points and a continued search for common, collaborative solutions in the remaining seven years of the decade. He concluded with a reminder that there is no time left for excuses.