His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, attended the opening session of the COP29 World Leaders Climate Action Summit, reaffirming the UAE's commitment to accelerating climate action and building a climate-resilient economy for the future. The COP29 climate conference, hosted in Baku from November 11th to 22nd, was inaugurated by His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, under the theme ‘In Solidarity for a Green World’.
On the occasion of his participation in the summit, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE’s deep-rooted legacy of environmental stewardship and commitment to the principles of sustainable development.
He highlighted that this dedication led to the UAE’s hosting of COP28 last year, during which the country championed international cooperation to provide an effective response to the first Global Stocktake assessing progress in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
His Highness emphasised that continued constructive international collaboration on climate action can pave the way for a new era of sustainable economic and social growth that benefits all nations. He framed climate action as a unique opportunity for advancement, rather than a burden, noting that the historic UAE Consensus delivered at COP28 confirmed a shared global resolve to achieve a systematic, responsible, fair, and rational transition within the energy sector.
The agreement also provided a roadmap for meeting the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and succeeded in restoring trust in the multilateral system through commitments to previous financial pledges and efforts to mobilize climate funding for the most vulnerable nations and communities.
His Highness called on all parties to prioritize mutual understanding over division, stressing that the collective mission now is to work together for the greater good of humanity.
Upon his arrival at the COP29 venue earlier in the day, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was welcomed by the President of Azerbaijan His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, and His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. His Highness joined other leaders and heads of delegations for a commemorative photograph.
His Highness also engaged in constructive discussions with several heads of delegation, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations between the UAE and their respective countries. They also highlighted the pivotal role of COP29 in fostering international collaboration and accelerating global efforts to tackle climate change. The UAE delegation accompanying His Highness the President also participated in the opening session of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit.