Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Dubai on Thursday (30th November) night to participate in the COP-28’s ‘World Climate Action Summit’. The Indian diaspora in Dubai warmly welcomed him. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
'Modi, Modi' chants in Dubai 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/egq7aZ7Iet
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) November 30, 2023
This program is being held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023. This is PM Modi’s third time attending the event after 2015 and 2021. UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had sent an official invitation to attend the summit.
Earlier this evening, PM @narendramodi landed in Dubai, where he was received by HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahayan, Deputy PM and Interior Minister. pic.twitter.com/Zfnpum1G85
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 30, 2023
What is COP?
COP stands for Conference of the Parties. It is an annual event where representatives from 196 countries come together to discuss and negotiate climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. The COPs are organised by the UNFCCC. UNFCC is the international treaty that outlines the global framework for addressing climate change.
The conference is held annually since the first UN climate agreement was signed in 1992. It is used by governments to limit global temperature rise and agree on policies favourable to the impacts associated with climate change. The current COP28 summit will be the first formal assessment of the progress of various countries toward the Paris Agreement‘s goal of limiting climate change to 1.5 Celsius of warming.
COP28 in Dubai
The 28th version of the COP is hosted by Dubai. This meeting is organised to review the implementation of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement and to negotiate new climate change agreements. Sharing information and best practices on climate change and raising awareness about climate change are other important objectives of the meeting.
Global leaders attending the conference will discuss ways to accelerate action to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and enhance climate finance for developing countries. They will also address loss and damage from climate change.
The Government of the UAE has said in its welcome message that it is hosting COP28 to build on past successes and to pave the way for future ambition to effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change.
At COP21 in 2015, the world agreed to limit global warming to 1.5°C higher than the pre-industrial level by 2050, the official statement said. Emissions must halve by 2030 to stay on target. However, only seven years are left to meet the target. The UAE government has said that COP28 is a significant opportunity to rethink, restart and refocus the climate agenda.
India at COP28
On Thursday, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav attended the inaugural session of the COP-28 Summit representing India. In his address, the minister said that there has been a positive signal of momentum from COP-28 on the first day in the UAE. He also underscored the importance of ‘climate justice’.
India strongly supports the decision to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund taken at the opening plenary of COP28. The decision will prove to be a landmark move.
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) November 30, 2023
Congratulations all! pic.twitter.com/gubrTbOyf4
The Minister said India supports the decision to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund. A loss and damage fund is a relief package that rich countries give to developing countries more vulnerable to climate change to compensate for the damages.
A positive signal of momentum from COP28 in UAE on the first day itself.
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) November 30, 2023
Landmark decision on operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund was adopted in the opening plenary of COP28.
India strongly supports the decision to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund.… pic.twitter.com/JqpEXVsTC4
PM Narendra Modi at COP28 in Dubai
Apart from Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, PM Modi also participated in the COP28 conference. PM Modi represented India at the high-level meeting of the World Climate Action Summit COP28 on Friday (1st December). The Prime Minister is also scheduled to attend three other high-level engagements during the visit. PM attended the climate conference for the third time after Paris in 2015 and Glasgow in 2021.
Sharing my remarks at Opening Ceremony of High-level segment at @COP28_UAE Summit. https://t.co/gvrlHFWmlv
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 1, 2023
In his remarks at the COP28 in Dubai, PM Modi proposed the organisation of COP33 in 2028 in India. He asserted that India’s contribution to global carbon emissions is less than 4 per cent. Furthermore, he emphasised that India has showcased a developmental model to the world, effectively achieving a commendable equilibrium between ecological considerations and economic growth.
