The incoming COP28 Presidency today recognized the findings of the ‘Factual Synthesis Report of the Technical Dialogue of the First Global stocktake published by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Report reinforces the urgent need for Parties to rally together to accelerate creative and actionable solutions and close the gaps to keep 1.5C within reach.
“Today’s Global stocktake provides clear direction on how we can meet the expectations of the Paris Agreement by taking decisive action in this critical decade. To keep 1.5C within reach we must act with “ambition and urgency” to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030.
That is why the COP28 Presidency has put forward an ambitious action agenda centered around fast- tracking a just and well managed energy transition that leaves no one behind, fixing climate finance, focusing on people lives and livelihoods, and underpinning everything with full inclusivity.
I am calling on leaders from both the public and private sector to come to COP28 with real and actionable commitments to address climate change. We need to rapidly decarbonize both the supply side and demand side of the energy system at the same time. We need to triple renewable energy by 2030, commercialize other zero carbon solutions like hydrogen and scale up the energy system free of all unabated fossil fuels, while we eliminate the emissions of the energies we use today. We need to protect and enhance nature, safeguard carbon sinks and transform food systems that account for one third of emissions. And we need fundamental reform of the international financial architecture that was built for the last century.
I believe we can deliver all of this while creating sustainable economic growth for our people, but we must urgently disrupt business as usual and unite like never before to move from ambition to action and from rhetoric to real results.”
– Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate.
The synthesis report of the technical dialogue was prepared by co-facilitators Farhan Akhtar and Harald Winkler, having been nominated by developed and developing countries, respectively. “I would like to thank Farhan Akhtar and Harald Winkler for their valuable work in facilitating the technical dialogue,” continued Dr. Al Jaber.
Among 17 key technical findings, the report confirms that global emissions are not in line with the global mitigation pathways consistent with the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement, as outlined by the latest science, and that there is a rapidly narrowing window to raise ambition and implement existing commitments to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The report also highlighted existing and emerging opportunities and creative solutions to bridge these gaps.
The incoming COP28 UAE Presidency will host a Ministerial on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Week in New York later this month to bring together ministers from all regional groups to further advance the political discussion on the key issues towards building a robust Global Stocktake Outcome. This Ministerial will lay the groundwork for Parties to come together on actionable, impactful solutions at COP28 in the UAE in December.
About the UNFCCC’s Global Stocktake
The Global Stocktake is a mandated process under the Paris Agreement aimed at providing insights into the Parties’ collective progress towards achieving the purpose and long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and informs on areas for further action to bridge gaps, address challenges, and enhance international cooperation.
Harald Winkler was nominated as the co-facilitator of the technical dialogue of the first Global Stocktake by the Developing Country Parties. He is a professor at the University of Cape Town, with research focused on expertise in mitigation, poverty and inequality. Dr. Farhan Akhtar was nominated as the co-facilitator of the technical dialogue of the first Global Stocktake by the Developed Country Parties. He is chief scientist for climate change at the U.S. Department of State.
The Synthesis Report serves as a factual resource that provides a comprehensive overview of discussions with Parties, experts and Non-Party Stakeholders held during three meetings of the technical dialogue – in plenaries, roundtables and world café formats. Over 200,000 pages of written submissions were received. Its work was organized in the thematic areas of mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation and support.
