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Emirati Sultan al-Jaber defends the massive presence of industrialists and companies at the 28th climate conference, which opens in Dubai on Thursday.
Published on November 25, 2023 4:26 p.m. Updated on November 25, 2023 4:36 p.m
Reading time: 1 min
Sultan Al Jaber, President of COP28 Climate Action, during an interview in Brussels, July 13, 2023. (FRANCOIS WALSCHAERTS / AFP)
“Everyone must be part of the process.” Five days before the opening of COP28 in Dubai, its president, the Emirati Sultan al-Jaber, defended the massive presence of industrialists and companies during an interview with AFP on Saturday November 25th this new climate conference. He stressed that the private sector is crucial to slowing greenhouse gas emissions.
“Everyone must take responsibility and be held accountable,” Sultan al-Jaber said. “This includes all industries, especially high-emitting industries such as aviation, transportation, aluminum, cement, steel and the oil and gas industry,” he emphasized. COP28, which will take place in Dubai from November 30th to December 12th, promises to be record-breaking: more than 70,000 participants are expected, including Pope Francis.
“Reducing risks to private capital”
A thousand business and charity leaders have signed up for a two-day meeting that will run alongside the leaders’ summit on December 1-2. According to organizer Badr Jafar, around twenty commitments from companies will be announced on this occasion.
Since his appointment to head COP28 in January, Sultan al-Jaber has tirelessly demonstrated his desire to involve the private sector in financing the energy transition or adaptation of countries vulnerable to global warming. “We must help reduce risks for private capital. We must provide the necessary guarantees and safeguards to protect, encourage and motivate the private sector to participate in efforts to solve climate finance challenges,” he told AFP.