Dubai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is in the United Arab Emirates to attend the United Nations’s COP28 Summit in Dubai is set to have a busy day in Dubai on Friday.
PM Modi will deliver four speeches and participate in two special initiatives on climate events.
During the day, PM Modi will hold seven bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 12-day Summit. Furthermore, he will be doing pull-aside and informal meetings with world leaders.
On his arrival at the COP28 Leadership Pavilion this morning, PM Modi will pose for a welcome photograph with UAE President and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Later, the leaders will pose for a family photograph.
PM Modi is scheduled to address the opening session of the World Climate Summit Action.
The World Climate Action Summit is the High-Level Segment of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
PM Modi will attend the Presidency’s session on Transforming Climate Finance and is scheduled to attend a high-level event on the Green Credits Programme. The event is being co-hosted by India and UAE.
PM Modi will also participate in the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) Event co-hosted by India and Sweden.
On his arrival at Dubai airport on Thursday night, PM Modi was welcomed by UAE Deputy Prime Minister Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Members of the Indian diaspora, waiting outside a hotel, sang ‘Saare Jahan Se Achha’ and chanted slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, as well as ‘Vande Mataram’.
Upon his arrival in Dubai, PM Modi stated that he looked forward to the proceedings of the Summit. In a post shared on X, PM Modi stated, “Landed in Dubai to take part in the COP-28 Summit. Looking forward to the proceedings of the Summit, which are aimed at creating a better planet.”
Addressing a special briefing on PM Modi’s visit to UAE here on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the Prime Minister will be participating in three high-level side events.
Kwatra said, “In terms of participation at the COP28, the Prime Minister will deliver his address at the opening session of the World Climate Action Summit. Besides his address to the COP28, the Prime Minister will also be participating in three high-level side events, of which two are being co-hosted by India. The first high-level event, which is being co-hosted by India, and the UAE is the launch of the Green Credits Initiative.”
Kwatra referred to the Environment Ministry notification last month and said the Green Credits Initiative is based on the Green Credit Programme. “It basically envisions the issue of green credits for plantations on waste and degraded lands and the river catchments areas to restore their vitality,” he said.
PM Modi will also attend the high-level event co-hosted by India and Sweden. Kwatra stated that PM Modi will participate in another high-level event ‘Transforming Climate Finance’ which is to be hosted by the Presidency of the COP28 – UAE.
“The second (event on the sides) which is co-hosted by India and Sweden is the launch of Lead IT 2.0, leadership group for industry transition. If you recall, it was a joint initiative launched by India and Sweden in 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York. Essentially, this initiative fosters collaboration among decision-makers, bringing together both the public sector and private sector with the objective of accelerating the industry transition to net zero emissions, essentially from heavy industries,” Kwatra said.
COP28 is being held from November 28-December 12 under the Presidency of the UAE. The Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC provides a unique opportunity to impart momentum for collective action towards combating the shared challenge of climate change.
PM Modi committed to an ambitious five-part “Panchamrit” pledge at COP26 held in 2021. They included reaching 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, generating half of all energy requirements from renewables, to reducing emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030. India also aims to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent. Finally, India commits to net-zero emissions by 2070.
(With inputs from ANI)
