The UAE is a progressive and committed force for climate action.  Some 15 years ago, our leadership recognized the threat of climate change and sought to decarbonize and diversify our economy.  Dr. Sultan Al Jaber has played a central role in establishing the UAE as a first-mover on climate action from mass deployment of renewables to indoor farming and mangrove conservation.  He has overseen the UAE’s rise as a major climate investor and donor, partnering with other countries to provide both economic opportunity and humanitarian relief through climate action. 

Dr. Sultan’s efforts have validated this vision for sustainable economic progress and a clean-energy future powered by a diverse energy mix.  As we welcome the global community to Dubai for COP28 UAE, I can think of no better choice to lead the quest for advancing ambitious, fair, and meaningful solutions to the pressing challenge of climate change. 

The UAE’s Mission to the United Nations looks forward to working with Dr. Sultan and the COP28 UAE leadership team, including High-Level Climate Action Champion Razan Al Mubarak and Youth Climate Champion Shamma Al Mazrui, to ensure a transparent and inclusive process in the buildup to an ambitious COP28 Summit in Dubai. At the same time, we will continue to use our role on the UN Security Council to stress the need for addressing the adverse effects of climate change on international peace and security. The action to address this nexus can help build and sustain peace.  

In March 2022, during our presidency of the Council, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber chaired a ministerial-level Arria-formula meeting on the need and opportunities for climate finance to build and sustain peace in conflict, crisis, and post-conflict situations. As president of the Council in June 2023, the UAE will be leveraging our COP presidency to push climate, peace and security higher on the agenda, driving home the point about the peace dividends of climate action and climate finance.   

The clock is ticking, and we must get this right. Emiratis have learned over our history to adapt and thrive. Now, as climate change presents a new challenge of rising temperatures and seas, the UAE stands ready to step up as a leader. As UN Secretary General António Guterres said, “Climate promises and plans must be turned into reality and action, now.” The UAE wants COP28 to be a space where the global community turns pledges into concrete results and helps take climate solutions to scale around the world.