World leaders address COP28 climate summit in Dubai: Live updates and agenda
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said Friday the world is “minutes to midnight” in its goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and he called on leaders at the U.N. climate change conference in Dubai, known as COP28, to prevent a “planetary crash and burn.”
“Earth’s vital signs are failing,” Guterres said.
His message came at the opening of two days of talks among global leaders, an early part of the two-week climate negotiations. Several notable leaders — including President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, representing the two largest historical emitters — are skipping the event.
The summit is an opportunity for leaders to assess their failures since the 2015 Paris agreement in limiting emissions. One of the key issues for COP28 is whether the planet’s dire report card prompts an agreement to phase out fossil fuels — something Guterres urged on Friday.
“The science is clear,” he said. “The 1.5 degree limit is only possible if we ultimately stop burning fossil fuels — not reduce, not abate, [but rather] phase out with a clear time frame aligned with 1.5 degrees.”
Highlights from the start of the summit
- The United Arab Emirates, the host of the gathering, pledged $30 billion on Friday to help the Global South with the clean energy transition and other climate projects.
- Just hours into COP28 on Thursday, nations approved an unprecedented fund aimed at delivering desperately needed money to vulnerable countries facing climate emergencies. And numerous countries made initial pledges, including $245 million from the European Union and its members — $100 million of that coming from Germany — and an additional $100 million from the United Arab Emirates. The United States’ special climate envoy, John F. Kerry, said the nation would “work with our Congress” and pledge $17.5 million.
- Why is an oil kingdom is hosting the COP28 climate summit? Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the climate talks, and why they matter.
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