COP28 Summit Updates: Event to open shortly amid hopes for early deal on climate damage fund; PM Modi to leave for Dubai today

Ailing pope cancels trip to COP 28 climate summit

Pope Francis has canceled his planned trip to the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai, due to ongoing influenza and lung inflammation, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

US Vice President Kamala Harris to attend COP28 climate summit

US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the COP28 climate summit in Dubai on behalf of President Joe Biden, the White House said on Wednesday.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav advocates 'Climate Justice' ahead of COP28 Summit

India unlikely to commit on fossil fuel and methane cut at COP-28 summit

While the Union Environment Ministry remained tight-lipped on India’s strategies, the Ministry of External Affairs had earlier stated that New Delhi would carry forward its G20 agenda for the climate summit for the benefit of the global south.

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Congolese youth protest against new Green Deal

At COP28, leaders have responsibility to compromise and take urgent Climate Action for people & planet: UN China

Colombia set to unveil six climate proposals at COP28

Maldives Prez reaches UAE

Preparations underway for United Nations conference on climate change where 70,000 delegates from about 200 countries are expected to participate

Summit starts with draft text proposing World Bank as Loss & Damage Fund Host

Loss and Damage Fund refers to the unavoidable impacts of climate change that go beyond what communities can adapt to. 

COP28: Nations urged to take 'great leaps' at UN climate conference in Dubai

France 24 English Reports

India aims to add coal-fired power capacity to avoid outages ahead of COP28

According to government officials and documents, India plans to increase its coal-based power generation capacity by 17 gigawatts within the next 16 months. This rapid expansion is aimed at preventing power outages caused by a significant increase in power demand.

It is worth noting that this expansion effort is taking place just before the UN climate summit COP28, where France and the United States are anticipated to restrict funding for coal plants. However, India, which relies on coal for 73% of its power generation, intends to oppose this move.

COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber denied allegations he abused his position to sign oil deals ahead of Summit eve

On the eve of the UN climate conference in Dubai, Sultan Al Jaber, the Emirati host and president of the talks, refuted reports claiming that he used his position to pursue fossil fuel deals. These allegations have raised concerns about the suitability of a petrostate hosting the COP28 talks.

However, Jaber, who also serves as the CEO of ADNOC, the UAE's oil company, and chairs a clean energy company owned by the UAE, strongly denied these reports.

He stated that the allegations were false and an attempt to undermine the work of the COP28 presidency. Jaber questioned the necessity of using the COP or his presidency to establish business deals, emphasizing that the UAE and himself do not require such platforms for commercial relationships. Leaked documents obtained by the BBC and the Centre for Climate Reporting alleged that Jaber's talking points for COP meetings with foreign governments promoted joint business opportunities in fossil fuels.

AFP reports

At COP28,leaders will be urged to sign a pact to broaden access to sustainable cooling services, technologies

The push comes with 2023 poised to become the hottest year on record, says UN environment programme.

'Climate finance' to be key topic of discussion during COP28: UNEP

Pressure is growing on developed countries to implement the US $100 billion year in climate finance promised to developing countries at COP15 back in 2010.

IMF news managing Director Kristalina Georgieva reaches Dubai, thanks Minister for warm welcome

Sunak, Cameron, King Charles each take own private jets to travel to COP28

Independent Reports

President Bola of Nigeria arrives in Dubai

COP28 climate summit opens in Dubai. Watch Live

Some $340 billion of pledged climate cash did not go where needed: ONE Campaign

Nearly two-thirds of climate finance commitments from the developed world between 2013 and 2021 - a total of $343 billion - were never reported as disbursed or had little connection to climate, a new analysis from the ONE Campaign showed.

ONE, a non-profit advocacy group, said its analysis of open-source data on public international climate finance from developed countries and multilateral institutions highlights an "alarming lack of transparency". It also underscored the chasm between climate finance needs in emerging markets, many of which are battling debt crises, and what rich countries are providing, ONE added.

Reuters Report

PM Modi to leave for COP28 this evening

Countries will for the first time assess how far off track they are to curb global warming at COP28 a process known as the ‘global stocktake’: Reuters

COP28 summit opens with hopes for early deal on climate damage fund

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra briefs media on PM Narendra Modi's visit to the UAE for COP28

We expect clear roadmap to be agreed at COP28 on climate finance: Foreign Secretary Kwatra

PM Modi to have a set of bilateral meetings with many of his counterparts: Foreign Secretary Kwatra

If we have no world, then the conflicts become contextualized: Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General on whether Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas conflict will have any impact on COP 28

PM Modi has been a really important leader because of the innovation, creativity: Patricia Scotland

Preparing for my conversation with UN Gen Sec Antonia Guterres: Dia Mirza