The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has officially announced that the UAE will host the 28th Conference of the Parties climate change conference – better known as COP28 – in 2023.

The UNFCCC confirmation followed unanimous endorsement by the Asia Pacific Group of nations during COP26, where nearly 200 countries gathered to take concerted action to cap global greenhousevgas emissions and unite against climate change.

The UAE was the first country in the Middle East & North Africa to ratify the Paris Agreement and commit to lowering its carbon emissions. It was also a pioneer in setting the region’s first renewable energy and biodiversity conservation targets to match its climate ambitions.

Among many sustainability achievements, the UAE has brought the cost of solar energy below that of all other electricity sources and built one of the world's first large-scale carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) facilities. It has invested close to US$17 billion in solar, wind and battery storage projects across six continents worldwide, including in 27 climate-vulnerable island nations.