Leaders around the world discussed the necessary measures to achieve the agreed energy goals at COP28 to preserve the 1.5-degree Celsius target.
At the headquarters of the International Energy Agency in Paris, a high-level roundtable was hosted on February 20th, in the presence of Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, COP28 President, who delivered the keynote address.
Among the attendees were Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action and Sustainable Development.
Also in attendance were Yaltchin Rafiyev, chief Azerbaijani negotiator at COP29, Jennifer Morgan, German Special Envoy for International Climate Action, and Laurent Fabius, COP21 President.
Over 50 ambassadors from African, Asian, European, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and North American countries, as well as international thought leaders and energy industry executives, joined the leaders.
The session, titled "Beyond COP28: Unity, Action, Achievement, and Implementing the UAE Agreement," focused on achieving the outcomes of the historic Dubai Summit, essential for meeting the Paris Agreement goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
In December, nearly 200 countries at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) reached a landmark agreement on energy and climate, known as the "UAE Consensus."
The UAE Consensus established new global targets for 2030, including accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels, tripling renewable energy capacity, doubling energy efficiency progress, and significantly reducing methane emissions.
Historic Decision
Fatih Birol stated in his speech that the global consensus reached in Dubai is crucial for the global transition to clean energy, clearly setting the direction for the global energy sector for the first time by calling for a fair, organized, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, accelerating action in this decade.
He added: "This is a historic decision. However, it also requires a lot of hard work in implementation, continuous analysis, and progress tracking to achieve these goals."
He continued, "The International Energy Agency is ready to lead these efforts and work in partnership with countries around the world, as well as current and future COP presidencies, to turn the vision into tangible reality."
In his speech, Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber explained that the historic "UAE Agreement" raised expectations and set a clear path to achieve the primary goal of climate action, including measures aimed at avoiding exceeding a 1.5-degree Celsius global temperature increase, which requires comprehensive unprecedented actions by all parties and stakeholders worldwide.
He said COP28 succeeded in surprising doubters and inspiring optimists, emphasizing unity over polarization and a cooperative approach over blame games, demonstrating that the spirit of partnership and collaboration can open new horizons for the benefit of humanity, emphasizing the need to maintain this mindset and build on the momentum achieved at COP28. The agreement outlined a clear new direction to correct the climate action trajectory through unprecedented consensus, which must be turned into an unprecedented achievement through the collective efforts and intensified cooperation of all stakeholders.
He added, "I want to keep this spirit alive and build on the momentum and strength achieved at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai. As I said after the final gavel in Dubai: we are what we do, not what we say."
Yaltchin Rafiyev, chief Azerbaijani negotiator at COP29 and Deputy Foreign Minister, said: "As we preside over COP29, we look forward to working closely with the International Energy Agency, which has played an effective role in setting global energy standards and regulations."
He added, "At COP29, the Agency will continue its vital role in this process by tracking our commitments and results, supporting parties with vital research and political work."
Key Actions
Participants at the event identified several key actions to be taken in the coming year, from securing more financing for the transition to clean energy, especially in emerging and developing economies, to enhancing the next round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement.
The NDC is each country's climate action plan to reduce emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The Paris Agreement requires parties to the ratified international treaty to submit a specific and updated NDC every 5 years.
Countries are now beginning the process of defining their climate targets up to 2035, which will be critical in determining the pace of global greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
Birol pledged to work closely with the presidency of COP28, as well as Azerbaijan and Brazil, which will host COP29 and COP30.
He outlined several actions that the International Energy Agency will take to help lead the implementation of the historic COP28 agreement, including tracking and reporting on UAE Consensus commitments in cooperation with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, supporting countries as they develop the next round of NDCs, and assisting in developing solutions to provide more financing for clean energy transitions, especially
