Cop28 is set to end on Tuesday. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Cop28 is set to end on Tuesday. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Cop28 is set to end on Tuesday. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Cop28 is set to end on Tuesday. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Cop28 enters crunch time with divisions remaining


John Dennehy
  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Cop28

Time is running out at the Cop28 summit to reach a deal on curbing emissions and tackling global warming.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President, said he intends to close the key talks on schedule at 11am on Tuesday but summits have typically intended to overshoot the deadline and negotiators say there remains a lot of work to do.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appeared on Monday and called for parties to reach agreement on the need to "phase out" fossil fuels.

Simon Stiell, UN climate change chief, told the summit that countries must “clear blockades in the Cop28 negotiations or risk destroying the process for everyone”.

What is going to happen next?

Several new drafts of key outcomes from the summit are expected in the closing hours, including the global stocktake text that will try to agree on the contentious issue of fossil fuels.

Grace Fu, Singapore's environment minister, said talks had bridged some differences but there was still “significant work to do”.

Ms Fu is one of the ministerial pairs helping the Cop presidency close a deal and her focus is mitigation, or cutting emissions.

Regarding the language on phase out or phase down, Ms Fu said “maybe some of these words will feature” but the intention is to have a good energy transition. “That’s still a work in progress,” she said.

Break out of silos

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President, on Sunday urged parties to break out of the silos and said he was not happy with the pace of progress in the talks. He spoke before a majlis – a new arena for a Cop summit – heard countries air their grievances and suggest solutions to the crisis.

Sticking points are the future of fossil fuels, scaling up adaptation finance for developing countries and ensuring a just energy transition. Some countries want strong language on fossil fuels, while others want weaker language. Negotiators not must bridge this gap as the clock ticks down.

Will the summit end on time?

Time is now fast running out for a deal before the 11am scheduled end. A huge number of bilateral meetings will take place, negotiating huddles and more plenary sessions are a possibility before any agreement can happen.

But Cops have tended to overshoot the deadline in recent years so it is possible that talks will continue into Wednesday.

The role of the presidency comes into play now to identify gaps and see where progress can be made. Talks between the US and China are also crucial and could hold the key for a successful outcome.

“We have gaps to close but parties came with solutions offering ways to bridge the differences," said Ms Fu. "That’s a very positive development. We still have significant work to do although we are now closer to identifying the few core remaining issues.”

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Grubtech

Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi

Launched: October 2019

Employees: 50

Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)

 

Expo details

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.

It is expected to attract 25 million visits

Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.

More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020

The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area

It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Updated: December 11, 2023, 12:02 PM