IEA and COP28 President identify priority actions to deliver on UAE Consensus

Energy and climate leaders from around the world have addressed the next steps that governments need to take to deliver on the important energy commitments made at the recent COP28 climate summit in Dubai and ensure that the door remains open to limiting global warming to 1.5 °C.

In his first major public engagement with the energy and climate communities since the Dubai summit in December, COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber delivered the keynote remarks at a roundtable hosted by IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. Other high-level participants included US Special Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry, COP21 President and former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius.

They were joined by dozens of energy and climate leaders, more than 50 Ambassadors from countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America, as well as international thought leaders and industry executives.

Delivering the UAE Consensus

In December, nearly 200 governments at COP28 reached a key agreement on energy and climate, often referred to as the UAE Consensus, that set new global 2030 goals of accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels, tripling renewable energy capacity, doubling energy efficiency progress and substantially reducing methane emissions. The discussion at the IEA event focused on how to realise these targets, which are essential to meet the Paris Agreement aim of limiting the average rise in global temperatures to 1.5 °C.

“The consensus reached in Dubai is very significant for the global clean energy transition. By calling for a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, with action accelerating this decade, it sets the direction of travel for the global energy sector very clearly for the first time,” Dr Birol said. “This is a historic decision. But it will also require a lot of hard work on implementation and continued, ongoing analysis of progress and means to achieve these goals. The IEA is prepared to lead in these efforts – working in partnership with countries around the world, as well as present and future COP Presidencies, to transform vision into reality.”

Just and fair energy transition

“The IEA has been a true thought leader, the IEA has been a true partner, in helping drive the conversation around a just, fair, orderly and responsible energy transition, a conversation that has always been centred around and based on the science, and laser-focused on keeping 1.5 within reach,” Dr Sultan told attendees.

“I want to keep the spirit alive and build on the momentum and the traction achieved at COP28 in Dubai. As I said after the final gavel in Dubai: We are what we do, we are not what we say. The UAE Consensus set a new direction and a clear course correction. We must now turn an unprecedented agreement into unprecedented action and results. And now is the time for all stakeholders – state and non-state actors – to step up.”

Participants at the event identified a number of key actions that must be taken in the next year – from securing more financing for clean energy transitions, especially in emerging and developing economies, to enhancing the next round of National Determined Contributions (NDCs) that countries make under the Paris Agreement. Countries are now beginning the process of setting climate goals that run through 2035, which will be crucial in determining the pace at which global greenhouse gas emissions decline.

Dr Birol pledged to work closely with the COP28 Presidency, as well as with Azerbaijan and Brazil, which will host COP29 and COP30.

IEA to support COP Presidencies with research

“Under our COP29 Presidency, we are looking forward to working closely with the IEA,” said Yalchin Rafiyev, Azerbaijan’s COP29 Lead Negotiator and Deputy Foreign Minister. “The IEA has been instrumental in creating global rules and standards around energy. At COP29, the IEA will continue to play a vital role in the process, keeping track of our commitments and outcomes and supporting the parties with vital research and policy work."

“We are hoping that working together on Mission 1.5, we are going to be able, with the international community, with international agencies like the IEA, to work with us on helping countries to develop not only the targets but the plans to implement their NDCs,” said Brazilian National Secretary for Climate Change Ana Toni, referring to the new pledge by the COP28, COP29 and COP30 Presidencies to team up and collaborate in order to keep the 1.5 °C goal within reach.

Tracking COP28 commitments

Dr Birol noted several actions the IEA will take to help lead the implementation of the COP28 agreement, as called upon by ministers of IEA member countries at the IEA’s Ministerial Meeting in Paris last week.

These include tracking and reporting on the COP28 commitments, in collaboration with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), supporting countries as they develop the next round of NDCs, and helping develop solutions to deliver greater financing for clean energy transitions, particularly in emerging and developing economies.

Dr Birol also announced that the IEA, which last year convened five High-Level Dialogues with the COP28 Presidency that were instrumental in building global consensus ahead of the Dubai summit, will launch a new series in partnership with the COP29 Presidency. These roundtables will provide an important venue for countries to share experiences and expertise as they navigate the complexities of developing new NDCs and transition plans, and to establish priorities ahead of COP29 in November.