UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasized the country’s commitment to accelerating climate action and building a climate-resilient economy for the future.
The UAE President’s statement came during the opening session of the World Leaders' Summit on Climate Action, which was inaugurated by Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The World Leaders' Summit on Climate Action is part of the UN Climate Change Conference COP29, hosted by Azerbaijan under the theme "Solidarity for a Green World," taking place from November 11-22, 2024.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed pointed out that the UAE has a rich and longstanding legacy in environmental protection and promoting sustainable development values. This commitment led the country to host COP28 last year, where it worked to boost international cooperation to provide an effective response to the first global stocktake measuring the progress scored with regard to the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The UAE President emphasized that continued international cooperation in climate action will enable the launch of a new phase of sustainable economic and social growth for the benefit of all countries. He further stressed the importance of viewing climate action as an opportunity for progress rather than a burden. He noted that the “UAE Consensus” resulting from COP28 affirmed the collective global will to achieve an organized, responsible, and fair energy transition. It also laid out a roadmap to achieve the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and helped restore trust in the multilateral international system by ensuring the fulfillment of previous global financial commitments and providing climate finance to the countries and communities most in need.
Sheikh Mohamed also called for focusing on overcoming differences, as the task for all is to continue finding common ground and working for the benefit of all humanity.
Earlier today, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed arrived at the conference venue, where he was welcomed by Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, and António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. The UAE President posed for commemorative photos before proceeding to the VIP hall, where a group photo of the summit's participating heads of delegation was taken.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and other heads of delegation exchanged friendly talks, discussing bilateral relations between the UAE and their countries, as well as the importance of COP29 in strengthening international cooperation on climate action.
