By Binsal Abdulkader
ABU DHABI, 2nd November, 2023 (WAM) — Pre-COP28, the preparatory meeting held early this week here prior to the 28th UN Conference on Climate Change (COP28), has set the ground for an ambitious global climate deal at COP28, said Dan Jørgensen, Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy.
“The Pre-COP28 was an important opportunity for ministers to meet shortly before COP28 and discuss issues that are central to the negotiations and to an ambitious COP28 outcome. We have sought out common visions and compromises that can lay the ground for an ambitious deal,” the minister who attended the two-day meeting in the capital told the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
According to the COP28 Presidency, Pre-COP28 was a critical milestone on the road to COP28 to be held later this month in Dubai. As the last formal ministerial engagement before COP28, this was a key opportunity for the world to unite behind a collective ambition to transform the global response to the climate crisis, said the COP28 UAE website.
UAE’s dedicated role
“I believe that the UAE has shown dedication to the role as COP28 host and to securing an ambitious outcome,” the Danish minister said.
Denmark fully supports the COP28 Presidency’s ambition to make the first Global Stocktake (GST) of the Paris Agreement a turning point on climate action, he emphasised.
“This first GST and our urgent response to its outcome, provide us with the chance we need to get the world on track.”
Global stocktake outcome
The Danish minister is hopeful about the outcome of the first Global Stocktake at COP28, which will provide a comprehensive assessment of progress since adopting the 2015 Paris Agreement that aims to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
“For Denmark and me personally as a facilitator on the Global Stocktake, a successful GST outcome is something that COP28 must deliver. We also need a COP28 outcome that can contribute to speeding up the global green energy transition,” Jørgensen stressed.
Energy transition
The Danish minister pointed out that an important part of global green energy transition is consensus on global goals on renewable energy and energy efficiency as mentioned by Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President, at Pre-COP meeting in Abu Dhabi.
“Furthermore, we must do more to help the poorest and most vulnerable countries increase ability to withstand the devastating consequences of global warming by scaling up the mobilisation of support. The COP result must also reflect that,” the minister suggested.
Jørgensen, who took up the current position of the minister in December 2022, is also the Current Chair of International Energy Agency’s Global Commission on People-Centred Clean Energy Transitions.
He had also served as Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities (June 2019- December 2022), and Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (December 2013 ‒ June 2015).