800 leaders to COP28 president: “Later is too late”
In a letter to COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber, they called for an “orderly phase out of all fossil fuels in a just & equitable way, in line with a 1.5C trajectory.”
(Dubai, United Arab Emirates) A press conference was held at COP28 on Friday, in which it was announced that more than 800 leaders united to achieve the 1.5 degree Celsius goal, have sent a letter addressed to the COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber.
The letter contains the signatures of more than 300 CEOs, more than 30 financiers, more than 240 NGOs, more than 70 scientists, as well as municipalities, governors, investors, indigenous people, athletes, health professionals and many more.
“As we enter the final days of COP28, we are at a tipping point. The world and its people need the strongest possible outcome to keep 1.5°C degrees within reach. But delivering on this historic task requires us to act like a team,” the letter said.
The letter called for an “orderly phase out of all fossil fuels in a just & equitable way, in line with a 1.5C trajectory.”
The climate emergency is biting harder than ever. It’s up to us to seize this opportunity – because what is achieved here in Dubai must mark a legacy moment which determines the fate of our future generations, the letter added, warning that: “Later is too late.”
The letter also called for the tripling of global renewable energy capacity by 2030 from 2022 levels and the doubling of energy efficiency.
Mana Mendos Vilanova, CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition Day, said in a press release that the “transition to clean energy represents an investment opportunity for businessmen.”
Vanessa Nakate, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, said that the U.N. climate summit is the main opportunity and that this is the right time to start the transformation, as we cannot slow down now, and we must stop talking about problems, but rather devote our time to talking about solutions.
In a separate media callout at the climate talks on Friday, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell said that COP28 “must deliver a big switch: not just ‘what’ governments must do, but also ‘how’ to get the job done.”
“If we want to save lives now, and keep 1.5 within reach, the highest ambition COP outcomes must stay front and center in these negotiations. So I urge negotiators to start with the highest ambition outcome and for them to ask, “How do we get there?” he added.
