Will COP28 go down in history as a turning point for climate action? The world’s largest climate gathering under way in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will identify what more needs to be done to reach Paris Agreement targets set in 2015 and set the agenda for years to come.

UN chief António Guterres has said the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) “must commit countries to triple renewables capacity, double energy efficiency, and bring clean energy to all, by 2030.”

In Dubai he reiterated calls for a complete phase out of fossil fuels to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius – while ensuring that the transition is equitable and just.

In an early COP 28 win, the loss and damage fund designed to support climate-vulnerable developing countries was brought to life on the first day of the gathering. Leaders have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars so far, while humanitarians have stressed the need to include affected communities in decisions on funding allocation.

Now all eyes are on countries’ ability to use the conclusions of the global stocktake – an inventory of progress on slashing greenhouse gas emissions and boosting climate adaptation and finance – as a springboard towards more ambitious climate action plans.

More to follow from COP28....