UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for accelerating the decarbonization of agriculture. He spoke today (May 2) as part of the 14th St. Petersburg Climate Dialogue. The conference, which is being held in Berlin, aims to facilitate negotiations leading up to the COP28 conference in November. The UN Secretary-General has proposed a G20 Pact on Climate Solidarity - in which all major emitters make extraordinary efforts to reduce emissions and richer countries support emerging economies to do so. Decarbonisation of agriculture: Last month, Guterres unveiled a plan to step up efforts to achieve decarbonisation through the Acceleration Agenda. This suggests that all countries move quickly towards their 'net zero' deadline. It calls on developed countries to commit to "net zero" as close to 2040 as possible, a threshold they should all strive to meet. "The Acceleration Agenda calls on countries to pool their resources, scientific capacity and technology," Guterres said. “It asks them to phase out coal in OECD countries by 2030 and in all others by 2040; create "net zero" electricity generation by 2035 in developed countries and by 2040 in all others, while providing access to electricity for all. “Stop permitting, funding and expanding coal, oil and gas – old and new, and accelerate the decarbonisation of major sectors – from shipping, aviation and steel to cement, aluminum and agriculture – in partnership with the private sector. At the end of 2022, Ireland implemented its Climate Action Plan 2023. The measures for agriculture in this plan provide a viable path to achieving 25 % reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture by 2030. These measures are consistent with achieving 51 % reductions in Ireland's overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 'net zero emissions' by 2050 at the latest. (Charlotte Morrey, Agriland)

"The incoming president of the UN's COP28 climate summit has set the agenda for a 'top-up' on global climate finance, finally reaching the promised $100 billion to help poorer countries adapt to climate change, a goal that eluded his predecessors. Sultan Al Jaber, president-designate of COP28 and head of the National Petroleum Corporation of Abu Dhabi, told the Petersberg climate dialogue in Berlin on Tuesday that the priority was to “mobilize” private finance and reform international financial institutions.” “He also remained focused on developing technologies to reduce emissions, and not for the gradual end of fossil fuel production. "In a pragmatic, fair and well-managed energy transition, we must laser-focus on phasing out fossil fuel emissions while gradually introducing viable and affordable carbon-free alternatives," he said. Jaber has been on a "listening tour" since his appointment in January and has met with climate leaders and ambassadors in China, the US and Paris in recent weeks. He noted that "expectations are high, confidence is low." "We need to make climate finance more affordable, more affordable and more affordable to support delivery across each climate pillar," he said. "The public, multilateral and private sectors must be mobilized in new and innovative ways on the critical issue of climate finance." His efforts were praised by Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, who spearheaded reform of the World Bank and multilateral development banks, which will also be the focus next month. summit in Paris, which will be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. In a video, Mottley told the Berlin audience that Jaber's consensus-building efforts were necessary to provide a "tipping point for the world" at the COP28 summit in Dubai. She said that access to finance for developing countries must be accompanied by access to technology and growth opportunities. Mottley suggested three "no-frills" ways to raise finance to help poorer nations deal with climate change and fund growth, including a tax on oil and gas company revenues, plus a $100-per-tonne carbon tax on shipping and a stamp duty on financial transactions. Of the 100 billion dollars for the adaptation fund promised at the UN summit in Copenhagen 14 years ago, developed countries collected only 83.3 billion dollars by the target date of 2020, according to the OECD.

Environmental activists have condemned the UAE's nomination of Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, the oil company's chief executive, to lead UN climate talks at the end of the year. While al-Jaber is a seasoned diplomat and also runs a renewable energy firm, the environmental track record of the oil industry means skepticism about his role is understandable.

Amid global Earth Day activism and hand-wringing about slow progress towards net-zero carbon targets that are worryingly out of reach, attention turns to the COP28 climate summit at the end of the year - and the UAE's unlikely role as host as well as the nomination of Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber as president of the conference. As a cabinet minister, seasoned diplomat and confidant of the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zaved al-Nahyan, al-Jaber was welcomed by many. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he had "both the position and the ability to offer breakthrough leadership at COP28". US special climate envoy John Kerry called him a "great choice". However, as the head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), one of the world's largest oil producers, environmentalists see his appointment as a "stunning conflict of interest." That al-Jaber is also chairman of renewable energy company Masdar, which invests mainly in solar and wind power in 40 countries, provides little comfort. While Masdar says it plans to invest $30 billion in renewables by 2030, Adnoc's board has approved a $150 billion five-year plan that includes increasing the company's production capacity to 5 million barrels per day by 2027. As part of the plan, Adnoc will also pursue low-carbon solutions as part of the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. However, the company's website makes clear that it has a "mandate to focus on exploring the undeveloped oil and gas potential of the UAE." In a speech last year, al-Jaber warned against trying to transition away from fossil fuels too quickly. He stressed the need for "maximum energy, minimum emissions" and said "the world needs all the energy solutions it can get".

 (Story by David Dodwell)

Resident Sheikh Mohamed set the stage for the Cop28 climate summit by calling on countries to move "from setting targets to achieving them". As the host country, the UAE will focus on obtaining concrete commitments to reverse the tide of climate change. Sheikh Mohammed spoke as world leaders attended a virtual climate event hosted by US President Joe Biden. "Today, at the Forum of Major Economies on Energy and Climate, we agreed on a joint commitment to accelerate steps aimed at combating climate change. The UAE, as the host of COP28, will focus efforts to go beyond setting targets to achieve them.” In a statement carried by the state-run Wam news agency, Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of developed countries fulfilling their commitment to provide developing countries with 100 billions of dollars. Opening the forum, Biden called on governments to come to Dubai in November with achievable goals. "Look, as we look forward to Cop28, we all need to show up in Dubai with 2030 targets and action in line with the Paris temperature targets," he said. "We're already seeing signs of what's to come if we don't. “More droughts, more floods, rising seas, rising temperatures, weather instability, market unpredictability. (Rory Reynolds, Ellie Sennett )

New York, April 20 (ANI/WAM) – This week, UN High Level Climate Change Champion for COP28 Razan Al Mubarak and Director General and Special Representative of COP28, Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, traveled to UN Headquarters in New York to join with stakeholders on the sidelines of the 22nd session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). The Forum on Indigenous Issues is the central UN body that addresses the concerns and rights of the world's indigenous peoples. In their respective engagements, both members of the COP28 leadership team reiterated the UAE's commitment to work more closely with indigenous communities to address the climate crisis. In his keynote speech at the forum, al-Mubarak emphasized the importance of using the knowledge and values of indigenous peoples to achieve sustainable development and protect biodiversity, and called for their full involvement in the development of policies related to climate change. "As a UN champion on climate change, I am committed to working with you to support your efforts and promote indigenous solutions to the climate crisis," al-Mubarak said. On the sidelines of the forum, Ambassador Al Suwaidi informed the representatives of the Group of 77 + China about the potential areas of cooperation and the commitment of the UAE to work closely with the developing countries of the Global South in order to achieve an inclusive COP28 conference. In addition, Al Mubarak and Ambassador Al Suwaidi jointly called on indigenous youth activists and young people to spearhead efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Washington, April 11 (TASR) - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and UN and COP28 climate leaders pledged on Tuesday to work to accelerate public-private financing to help raise the trillions of dollars needed to meet emissions reduction targets. Georgieva, COP28 Chair-designate Sultan al-Jaber and UN Special Envoy for Climate Mark Carney said they will work to make the investment environment more conducive to climate finance by identifying barriers to financing in climate change by the private sector, and "using innovative financial instruments to increase private investment in emerging and developing economies," the IMF said.

Reuters

In an "exclusive" interview with the Guardian, Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 president-designate, said the world needs an "entrepreneurial mindset" to tackle climate change. Al Jaber told the paper that “we need a fundamental course correction and a massive effort to restart progress. This cannot be done by governments alone.” He continues: “The scale of the problem requires everyone to work in solidarity. We need partnerships, not polarization, and we need to approach this with a clear rationale and a workable action plan… COP28 is committed to building on the progress made at COP26 and COP27 and bringing an entrepreneurial mindset, specifically KPIs [key performance indicators, the cornerstone of most business strategies] and an ambitious program of action.” As chief executive of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national oil company Adnoc, Al Jaber is “a highly controversial choice to preside over these key negotiations,” the paper said. But Al Jaber said "no one should get ahead of his presidency as he is committed to protecting the 1.5°C limit and ensuring that all countries and the private sector act to achieve the massive emissions reductions needed," the article said. Al Jaber says the UAE's progress in diversifying beyond oil "will enable it to motivate other oil-producing countries to come up with similar plans," the article said. He explains: “We know we need to fully engage the private sector and unlock the trillions of dollars needed. This requires a business plan that will outline key outcomes with specific KPIs; it requires reliable and sufficient capital and coordinated collective action.” Al Jaber also mentions the need to invest in hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS). In the document, he says: "I want to make sure that COP28 becomes a place where partnerships in every region come together to commercialize hydrogen production, transport and industrial use." On CCS, he says: "The IPCC has been saying since 2016 that carbon sequestration is an essential tool to keep temperature rise under control. Despite this, only 44 million tons of carbon are captured annually. We have to multiply this amount by 30. It is a huge commitment that we simply cannot afford at the moment. We need progressive, smart government regulation and policies that will incentivize private investment on an industrial scale.

Fiona Harvey, The Guardian

UN Climate Change News, 3 April 2023 - From 27 to 29 March 2023, the first meeting of the Transitional Committee on the Functioning of Financial Mechanisms and the new Loss and Damage Response Fund was held in Luxor, Egypt. The meeting ended with the adoption of a work plan towards the COP28 conference. The work plan sets out key substantive and procedural milestones and steps to be taken towards the submission of recommendations to COP28. It includes the dates of upcoming workshops and meetings of the Transitional Committee, including the fourth session, which the Committee agreed to include in its work plan in 2023. According to the plan, the Committee will focus on all elements of its mandated recommendations at each meeting and gradually move closer to reaching a consensus result about a month before COP28 conference. Opening the session, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said: "You are not here just to create a fund, but to create something much bigger: a lifeline for vulnerable people and places." He also called on the committee to "to this approached the work creatively, collaboratively and constructively so that we could respond to the mandate and rise to the challenge ahead." COP27 President Sameh Shoukry said: "Your work can have a big impact and help maintain the sense of trust and multilateral dialogue that has prevailed in Sharm el-Sheikh.” The decision to establish a special fund to help developing countries deal with economic and non-economic losses and damages related to climate change was a historic step that was agreed at last year's COP27 UN climate change conference. The Transitional Committee is responsible for operationalizing both the new funding mechanisms and the fund to be considered and adopted at this year's COP28 conference in Dubai. During last week's meeting, the transitional committee exchanged preliminary views on the purpose and scope of the new financing mechanisms and the fund. Through this discussion, members exchanged initial thoughts and asked a range of questions about what gaps currently exist in the financial structure and how the new funding mechanisms and the fund can help close those gaps.

The Financial Times reports that there are concerns over the COP28 climate summit in Dubai later this year after speakers at the United Arab Emirates climate and health conference were told not to protest and "not to criticize corporations," referring to the Gulf state's laws in the warning. The report said organizers at last month's Forecasting Healthy Futures event in Abu Dhabi advised panelists to be "aware of and respect UAE laws" and warned them not to "criticize Islam, the UAE government, corporations or individuals ” and “they did not protest”. The written guidelines, seen by the FT, added: “We understand that climate change can be a controversial topic and we welcome all perspectives and views in civil debate across the programme. Protests are illegal in the UAE and all cases of disruptive protests will be dealt with by local authorities." Responding to the FT, a spokesperson for COP28 in the UAE said the conference "will take an inclusive approach involving all stakeholders from the public and private sectors, civil society, science communities, women and youth' and 'will welcome inclusive, constructive dialogues that will facilitate consensus building to achieve ambitious climate outcomes'. The spokesperson adds that the organizers will provide a "safe space where all voices can be heard".

Attracta Mooney and Aimee Williams, Financial Times, Carbon Brief

Saleemul Huq, director of the International Center for Climate Change and Development, presented three proposals for creating a loss and damage fund. He noted that the Transitional Committee on Loss and Damage Financing "will have its first meeting in March in Egypt", adding that it will meet three times until COP28 in Dubai in December. Huq's first suggestion is not to operate on "UNFCC time" but to act "urgently" instead. He adds, “Don't make 'perfect' the enemy of 'good enough'! An imperfect fund that starts working quickly is better than waiting years for the first dollar.” His second suggestion is to work with “experienced actors” such as the Red Cross or the World Food Program. And the third is for the Transitional Committee to "become the main voice and explainer of what loss and damage means."

Veteran climate campaigner Bill McKibben wrote an article in the Guardian headlined: "Older people like me need to start protesting for our planet." He says last week's IPCC report "didn't have the impact it should have had, or that its authors apparently intended," and suggests that the reason is "a mismatch between the message's threatening words and the actions most people feel they can effectively take". He adds: "I'm proud to be part of Third Act, a climate campaigning organization for over 60s." Elsewhere, the Daily Telegraph ran an editorial under the headline: "The stupidity of the energy surcharge has now been exposed." He claims that in an effort to achieve net zero output successive governments have "deliberately presided over a decline in North Sea drilling to reduce UK carbon emissions while switching to renewables", although oil and gas are "still needed". The report concluded: “Although Labor condemned the government for under-taxing the sector, the overall rate imposed on North Sea operators has almost doubled from 40 % to 75 % in just 10 months. The windfall tax will remain in place until 2028, despite falling prices. In addition, a Labor government would retroactively increase the tax, cancel most reliefs and limit further exploration. The short-sightedness of this approach is breathtaking.”

Saleemul Huq, Climate Home News

  COP28 UAE

COP28 in the UAE will be a watershed moment as the world takes stock of its progress in implementing the Paris Agreement. The first Global Assessment (GST) will provide a comprehensive assessment of progress since the adoption of the Paris Agreement. This will help align climate efforts, including the actions that need to be put in place to address progress gaps. The UAE Presidency at COP28 will seek to ensure that the world responds to the global assessment with a clear action plan.

This year's UN climate talks could set the first-ever global renewable energy target - as long as everyone gets on board. At a meeting in Copenhagen this week, ministers from 43 countries discussed the possibility of setting the target at the COP28 conference in Dubai later this year, Dan Jørgensen, Denmark's minister for global climate policy, told POLITICO. "It may be possible that for the first time in the COP process there will be a text that will actually end up with concrete targets for the world on renewable energy," said Jørgensen.
The nearly 200 countries at the COP28 conference would have to approve this goal unanimously. The negotiations will also fight for an agreement on the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels. Jørgensen said the renewables target could be more acceptable and "would be an extremely important signal to countries, but also to markets. "Imagine what it would do for the renewables markets if the countries of the planet agreed now that we need an extreme expansion of renewables," he said.
The head of the International Renewable Energy Agency, Francesco La Camera, told the meeting that an annual growth target of 1 terawatt (1,000 gigawatts) is needed to meet the world's climate goals. "That just goes to show the magnitude of those ambitions. So that was actually a big part of the discussions on both days," said Jørgensen.
Later on Thursday, Argus media reported that German State Secretary and Special Representative for International Climate Policy Jennifer Morgan had also urged such a global goal for renewable energy sources. "We know how much needs to be raised, so let's set a target," she told reporters. The United Arab Emirates COP28 presidency did not respond to a question about whether the global target was being considered as part of the conference's final agreement.

Governments will continue to debate ahead of the Cop28 climate talks on whether to call for a phase-out of fossil fuels, Egypt's Cop27 chairman told reporters after a meeting of 50 climate ministers in Copenhagen today. Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said there would be "consultations and negotiations" on whether to call for a phase-out of fossil fuels when governments meet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in November. This question divided the governments at the climate negotiations in Copenhagen27, which he chaired last November. Standing next to him, Danish climate minister Dan Jorgensen added: "There is no doubt that this will be part of the discussion heading into the Cop28 conference." But he added that "it is obviously difficult to say whether we will achieve this result later this year in Dubai". Shoukry said there is "general recognition of the importance of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and the possibility of transitioning to renewable energy sources, clean energy". He added: "It has to be taken in terms of what constitutes a just transition".

Planting new ones forests on lands that historically did not contain forests. A discussion of the term forest and related terms such as afforestation, reforestation  a deforestation , see the IPCC Special Report on Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (IPCC, 2000), information provided by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, 2013) and the report on definitions and methodological options for inventorying emissions from direct forest degradation human-caused and devegetation of other types of vegetation (IPCC, 2003)

The aid sector loves its acronyms. Mix in some climate science and the political language of global treaty negotiations, and you have a recipe for a (rapidly heating) pot of alphabet soup. Here's our updated guide to some language abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms that help make the language of climate change a little more concise, if not entirely clear.

We also mix in some key concepts that underlie climate action and summit negotiations. (Irwin Loy, Will Worley, more at thenewhumanitarian.org)