COP28 President: ‘There is no time for hesitation, the time to decide is now’

COP28 President: ‘There is no time for hesitation, the time to decide is now’

Dr Sultan Al Jaber wears headphones as he walks though the COP28 UN Climate Summit in Dubai. — AP

Published: Mon 11 Dec 2023, 9:45 PM

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President, called for approaching this COP with a different mindset and to be cooperative.

"We have a text, and we need to agree on the text. The time for discussion is coming to an end. And there is no time for hesitation. The time to decide is now," COP28 President told representatives of all the countries that are signatories (or 'Parties') to the UNFCCC.

"Yesterday I called the Change-makers Majlis and there was a new tone in the room and a new spirit of collaboration, openness, engagement, cooperation, and positivity. And I saw a new level of commitment, a new energy, and a new sense of commitment. I also saw a new sense of urgency.

"I saw people starting to come out of their comfort zones, and I saw them really engage with each other," he said, adding that "we must still close many gaps". "We don't have time to waste. We must deliver an outcome that respects the science and that keeps 1.5 within