A critical moment in global transformative climate action

COP, or the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP) has convened member countries every year to determine ambition and responsibilities, and identify and assess climate measures since the Rio Summit held in 1992 that established the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which provided a legal framework for international cooperation to combat climate change. The 21st session of the COP (COP21) led to the Paris Agreement, which mobilized global collective action to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels by 2100, and to act to adapt to the already existing effects of climate change.

COP28 UAE will be a milestone moment when the world will take stock of its progress on the Paris Agreement. The first Global Stock Take (GST), will provide a comprehensive assessment of progress since adopting the Paris Agreement. This will help align eforts on climate action, including measures that need to be put in place to bridge the gaps in progress.

The COP28 UAE Presidency worked to ensure that the world responds to the GST with a clear plan of action. By hosting COP28, the UAE is focusing on practical and positive solutions that drive progress for the climate and the economy, as well as provide relief and support to vulnerable communities. The UAE intends to make COP28 highly inclusive, reflecting the views of all geographies, sectors, and constituencies.

COP28 UAE takes place from 30 November to 12 December 2023 at Expo City, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. COP28 UAE provides a milestone opportunity for the world to come together, course correct, and drive progress to meet the goals and ambitions of the Paris Agreement.

In a demonstration of global solidarity, negotiators from nearly 200 Parties came together in Dubai with a decision on the world’s first ‘global stocktake’ to ratchet up climate action before the end of the decade – with the overarching aim to keep the global temperature limit of 1.5°C within reach.

On COP28 Day 9, SAMENA Council leads discussion to advocate access to low-cost energy for achieving ICT and Mobility sector integration & climate sustainability imperatives

SAMENA Telecommunications Council, in strategic collaboration with The Future Mobility Hub, and in pursuit of innovative cross-sector partnerships, driven by digitalization and environmental sustainability imperatives, led a panel discussion, titled "Connectivity, Sustainability, and Mobility: Creating New Synergies between the ICT and Mobility Sector Players".

Focused on fostering and enabling collaboration between the Mobility/Transport and the ICT/Telecom sectors, SAMENA Council curated the experts panel to bring forth cross-industry exchange of ideas that can drive innovation among Technology Providers, Telecom Operators, Satellite Operators, and Mobility sector players working together on both business opportunities as well as on fulfilling the Sustainable Development Agenda, particularly SDG 13 (“urgent action to combat climate change and its impact”.

Bocar BA, CEO and Board Member of SAMENA Council, who moderated the discussion, stated: “Visionary perspectives shared by Cisco and SES reflect on the Council’s community of digital ecosystem leaders, and how major ICT/Connectivity players see the sustainability imperative. There is much to collaborate on between the Connectivity players and the Mobility/Transport sector players. In the age of 5G/5G-Advanced, when cross-industry partnerships have emerged as crucial areas in socio-economic and innovative business-case development, and as time speeds up toward 2030, collaboration between the Mobility and the ICT sectors can make a significant difference in our efforts to achieve major SDGs while creating impactful business use-cases.”

With highly valuable insights provided by Cisco’s Mohamed Tantawi, MD - Telcos & Service Providers and SES’s Imran Malik Khan, SVP - Enterprise & Cloud EMEA & APAC, among other speakers, the SAMENA Council-led panel delved into responsibilities of ICT and non-ICT players with respect to taking corrective action on the climate crisis; embedding digital transformation, innovations in connectivity, smart mobility applications and services, smart and cost-effective energy solutions to catalyze an altogether a new ecosystem; sustainability initiatives currently in place, and innovative strategies leveraging telecommunications to drive sustainable trends, transforming the landscape of transportation and smart mobility in the SA-ME-NA region. Policy, regulatory, and overall enablement requirements were also discussed. The panel agreed on the need for climate action, and how critical it is for the business and the environment to have access to low-cost and clean energy.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (“UNFCCC COP 28”) has convened from November 30 to December 12, 2023, in Dubai, UAE. It is the 28th annual United Nations climate meeting where governments have discussed how to limit and prepare for future climate change.

COP28 aimed to fast-track the move to clean energy sources and to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions before 2030; financing climate action for developing/LDC nations; focusing on nature and people; and fostering inclusion of multiple sectors – an objective with which SAMENA Council aligned itself by curating the “Connectivity, Sustainability, and Mobility” panel.