As COP28 enters its second week, over 800 leaders of subnational governments, industry, civil society, and other stakeholders in climate change have addressed a letter to COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber to support the delivery of a 1.5°C-aligned outcome at the ongoing UN climate conference in the United Arab Emirates. Among the 800 signatories are 300+ CEOs, 30+ financiers, 240+ NGOs, 70+ scientists, as well as mayors, governors, investors, Indigenous peoples, health professionals, young people, faith leaders, and athletes.
Signatories to the letter include among others: Yvonne Aqui Sawyerr, Marc Benioff, Richard Branson, Jesper Brodin, Christiana Figueres, Jacinda Arden, Andrew Forrest, Jane Goodall, Sadiq Khan, Anne Hidalgo, Rachel Kyte, Mo Ibrahim, Guilherme Leal, Vanessa Nakate, Gina McCarthy, Juan Carlos Mora, Hiro Mizuno, Sanda Ojiambo, Manuel Pulgar Vidal, Luc Remont, Johan Rockström, Mary Robinson, Ayisha Siddiqa, Rebecca Solnit, Andrew Steer, Gunther Tallinger, Halla Tómasdóttir, Adair Turner, and many more.
The letter reads:
Dear COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber,
We are pleased to deliver a letter, signed by 800+ signatories from across the world. on the 1.5°C plan at COP28, because later is too late.
As we enter the final days of COP28, we are at a tipping point. The world and its people need the strongest possible outcome to keep 1.5 degrees within reach. But delivering on this historic task requires us to act like a team.
The signals of transformation across sectors and society are all around us. At the same time, the climate emergency is biting harder than ever. It is up to us to seize this opportunity — because what is achieved here in Dubai must mark a legacy moment which determines the fate of our future generations.
We — CEOs, mayors, governors, investors, indigenous peoples, health professionals, philanthropists, young people, faith leaders, NGOs, scientists, athletes and more — stand in courage and resolve with the COP28 President and all Parties in bringing us together behind a rapid response plan to the Global Stocktake.
To reach this positive tipping point, we know we need the following:
- An orderly phase out of all fossil fuels in a just and equitable way, in line with a 1.5C trajectory, whilst ensuring the tripling of global renewable energy capacity by 2030 from 2022 levels and the doubling of energy efficiency.
- The enabling environment to scale up and shift public and private finance, with developed countries taking the lead in action and support; putting a price on carbon and tripling investments for renewable energy.
- The halt and reversal of deforestation and land degradation as well as biodiversity and other ecosystem loss by 2030 and safeguarding the territories of indigenous peoples; ensuring resilient food systems; and delivering a strong global goal on adaptation.
These outcomes must be supported by the implementation and ratcheting of Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans that align with the 1.5C and incorporate multi-stakeholder efforts within them, well before COP30 in 2025.
Later is too late.