COP28 president says summit 'making progress', but not 'fast and satisfying enough'

The president of COP28 said on Saturday that while the climate summit was making progress, the pace was “not fast enough” and called on all nations to prioritise collective goals over narrow self-interest.

During a late-night session in Dubai, Sultan Al Jaber, the Emirati oil executive leading the summit, expressed concern about the slow progress, stating, “The window is closing to close the gaps. We are making progress, but not fast enough and not satisfying enough.”

Jaber maintained a Tuesday deadline for negotiators to reach an agreement, even as tensions escalated, particularly regarding the proposal to phase out fossil fuels advocated by environmentally conscious nations. The OPEC oil cartel and Saudi Arabia, its member, led opposition to this initiative.

Despite his background in the oil industry, Jaber acknowledged the inevitability of transitioning away from oil, gas, and coal, though he did not explicitly endorse a rapid shift.

Calling for a collective effort, Jaber said, “Now is the time to put aside self-interest for the common interest.”

“Now is the time to show maximum flexibility to find common ground. Now is the time to shift gears and get to consensus,” he said.

“I am convinced that there is a balanced and ambitious package out there that all parties can and should align around.”

With inputs from AFP