COP28 Dubai ‘significantly exceeded expectations’, says Bill Gates on annual climate conference
Expo City Dubai in the UAE hosted the COP28 Summit last November, convening participants from dozens of countries and facilitating the inking of several agreements in an effort to strengthen the raging fight against climate change.
Recently speaking at the Islamic Development Bank meeting in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, Microsoft co-founder and co-chairman of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, said the climate conference surpassed expectations and was “hosted very well”.
“I think that Cop meeting significantly exceeded my expectations,” he noted, adding: “Not only was it hosted very well, but also the spirit that the businesses coming into it showed, as well as the philanthropists, was very impressive to me.”
Imperative to continue helping the poorest: Bill Gates
Sadly, the entrepreneur also quickly made it clear that there is still a lot of hard work to be done. He highlighted: “So at the same time as we reduce emissions … we also have to continue to help out the poorest, not by diverting money away from the things we are doing.”
Gates also talked about the potential impact of climate change on global health. In a different recent event in Riyadh, the Saudi Ministry of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation signed a MoU to ensure equitable access to healthcare services for all.
The COP28 Summit in Dubai achieved a remarkable success on its first day itself as participants agreed to operationalise the landmark Loss and Damage Fund to compensate developing and vulnerable countries for the unprecedented impacts of climate crisis.
The event also reached the prominent UAE Consensus, a notable agreement to transition away from fossil fuels. In recent years, the UAE has substantially reduced its reliance on oil exports and sizeably diversified its economy for the sake of its economy and the environment.
COP28 Dubai highly regarded as a historic breakthrough
The Gulf state has been noting significant progress in non-oil foreign trade numbers. It has become a key hub for tourism across the globe, especially Dubai. The megacity is a melting pot of cultures, sheltering people of different nationalities and an increasing number of startups.
COP28 Dubai is highly regarded as a historic breakthrough as it let the global community come together to agree on ambitious climate targets at a time when conflict and division in several countries, including in the Mena region itself, are triggering chaos.
It has become more important than ever to meet the set climate goals as the brutal climate emergency is plunging the planet into greater difficulties. The Earth is burning as average global temperatures have been surpassing unprecedented levels lately.
Read: UAE committed to balancing economic development and environmental protection
