COP28 President-Designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber gave a speech today in Brussels at the 7th Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA). Here, he stated that "climate change is our greatest shared challenge, and we will only succeed in addressing it by engaging every person, every generation and every corner of society." He also committed to host a historic number of mayors and local leaders at the conference in December, to integrate all parts of society in addressing the climate crisis.
Climate Group CEO Helen Clarkson welcomed the commitment to greater integration, saying:
"With emissions rising and the window for climate action rapidly closing, it's clear we need all hands on deck to find solutions that truly work. So the COP28 Presidency's efforts to recognise the potential of subnational governments' to drive change at scale are very welcome.
"This year's first Global Stocktake is likely to reflect what we already know: that climate change is here, now, and we need to take urgent action. But COP28 must be a moment for governments at all levels to seize the initiative and show what we can achieve if we work together. We can turn the tide if we act with ambition and determination - but we must do it now."
