Sultan al Jaber, the president of Cop28, stated that the climate summit in the United Arab Emirates will speed up the transition away from fossil fuels. This represents a slight change in his stance from his previous speech, where he supported the “phase out” of fossil fuel emissions.
However, he has not explicitly called for a complete phase-out or specified the timeline for the phase-down process. Al Jaber also urged the oil and gas industry to invest more in renewable energy.
The summit may involve discussions on whether to “phase out” or “phase down” coal-fired power, similar to the previous Cop26 summit. Al Jaber’s comments are significant as the host country plays a crucial role in shaping the negotiations.
Additionally, he emphasized that the transition should be responsible and driven by the speed at which zero-carbon alternatives are developed. The Cop28 team aims to triple global renewable energy generation by 2030, with support from various countries and organizations.
