What is COP28?

The COP28 meeting in the UAE is a critical event that will help determine global climate action in the future. It allows governments to come together and cooperate towards the shared goal of minimising the effects of global warming. As the host country, the UAE plays an important role in guaranteeing the conference's effectiveness and setting an example in the battle against climate change.

Some 200 delegates will meet at this event, which serves as a forum for global leaders to share ideas and strategies for tackling climate change, resulting in collaborative partnerships that have the potential to yield new and innovative solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making progress on collective climate goals.

COP28 marks the halfway point since the Paris Agreement signed by 196 countries in 2015, which intends to keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to keep temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Based on the official COP28 website, the summit's major goal this year is to "strengthen the international community's commitment to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement and keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius."

From November 30th to December 12th, the 13-day conference will focus on four main areas, or themes:

1. Technology and innovation

2. Inclusion (including but not limited to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, people of determination, youth empowerment, and gender equality)

3. Frontline communities

4. Finance

This programme will be delivered through plenary sessions, high-level discussions and side events.

As one of the key players in driving sustainability, GHD, a leading engineering and consulting firm dedicated to energy and resources, will adapt and collaborate with COP28’s agenda towards a greener and sustainable future.

Drawing upon our extensive expertise in energy and resources, GHD will showcase solutions that address climate change and help the transition to renewable energy sources. We aim to catalyse transformative action in the energy sector, from designing and implementing large-scale renewable energy projects to optimising energy efficiency. Here are some notable projects focused on the future of energy:

Pioneering a sustainable blue hydrogen export project in western Canada

Leveraging our expertise in hydrogen production and export projects worldwide, as well as our deep understanding of carbon sequestration and local operations, we successfully delivered the feasibility study for this ground-breaking mega-project – a pioneering initiative in western Canada.

Hornsdale Wind Farm + the world’s largest Tesla battery storage

The Hornsdale Wind Farm and Power Reserve is Australia’s first – and the world’s largest – grid-scale lithium-ion battery connection.

Discover GHD’s cutting-edge future energy projects here and delve into our extensive energy expertise that aligns with the agenda of COP28.

Articles referenced

^{COP28 2023, ‘Pathway to COP28 UAE’, retrieved May 12, 2023, from https://www.cop28.com/en/}

^{Global Media Insight 2023, ‘COP28 - The Global Climate Summit in UAE’, retrieved May 12, 2023, from https://www.globalmediainsight.com/blog/cop28-global-climate-summit-uae/}