Commonwealth Secy-General calls for accelerated climate action at Dubai summit

New Delhi: Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland will lead the delegation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai to call for accelerated action on the climate crisis in light of intensifying threats to small and vulnerable member countries.

Scheduled from November 30 to December 12, the annual summit comes just months after Commonwealth environment ministers committed to accelerating climate action at their inaugural meeting, held alongside the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

The Secretary-General, who will deliver at least 20 speeches across the summit, will urge negotiators to deliver a transformative outcome at the summit.

This includes accelerating efforts to implement national climate plans mandated under the Paris Agreement, using the findings of the "global stocktake" report to increase ambition and action, and delivering an inclusive, operational Loss and Damage Fund.

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland will officially open the Commonwealth Pavilion COP28, which will host about 40 events across the two weeks, demonstrating the Commonwealth’s ability to convene vital dialogues between governments, experts, businesses, youth leaders and civil society.

She will also meet with leaders and ministers from Commonwealth member countries and across the international community, to advance progress on emissions, finance, adaptation, biodiversity, oceans, health, innovation and the green economy.

Ahead of the summit, the Commonwealth Secretary-General said: "The worst predictions of climate change have become a daily reality. In the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable countries, fertile lands are turning to dust, wells are running dry, storms and floods are overwhelming communities, and the ocean is rising.

"This represents not only a threat to the health, welfare and survival of millions of people, but to our collective stability and economic prospects.

"Yet as climate change advances, the gap on emissions, finance and justice has widened, while the window for action continues to narrow. COP28 must close that gap.

"Every day of delay makes life more dangerous, and makes climate action more complex, challenging and expensive. There can be no more delays, and no more excuses -- this is the time for implementation."

During the summit, the Secretary-General will call for increased support for small and vulnerable states, highlighting that despite ambitious pledges, these countries are receiving limited funds to mitigate, adapt to and build resilience against the impacts of climate breakdown.

She will also draw attention to the broader consequences of the climate crisis on economic growth, leading to high debt burdens, food insecurity, stressed resources, and impaired livelihoods for many of the 2.5 billion people living across the Commonwealth.