COP28 UAE | Thematic Program

9 DEC

Nature, Land Use, and Oceans

The sustainability of nature, land use, and oceans are integral to achieving all the Paris Agreement’s goals. The recent adoption of the 30x30 biodiversity goal creates an imperative for integrated policy and investment for climate and nature. COP28 will focus on delivering climate and nature co-benefits through a range of financing mechanisms and packages, co-designed with local and Indigenous Peoples, to sustainably manage and conserve natural carbon sinks and biodiversity hotpots. The day will also seek to accelerate private sector commitments to nature-positive accountability frameworks.

10 DEC

Food, Agriculture, and Water

Climate change is creating severe pressure and risks for the agri-food and water systems that underpin human wellbeing. At the same time, these systems are also key contributors to climate change: one third of all human-made GHG emissions derive from agri-food systems, and 70% of fresh water consumed worldwide is used for agricultural production.

11 DEC

12 DEC

Final Negotiations

On the final two days of COP28, there will be no thematic days to avoid extensive programming when the negotiation text is often being closed. This decision was informed by widespread feedback received from stakeholders.

30 NOV

Opening Day

The 28th session of the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP28), hosted by the UAE, opens at Expo City, Dubai on 30 November 2023.

1 DEC

2 DEC

World Climate Action Summit

The World Climate Action Summit convenes heads of state and government, alongside leaders from civil society, business, youth, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, frontline communities, science, and other sectors to discuss concrete actions and plans aimed at scaling climate action. The summit serves as an important platform for major announcements and is intended to provide momentum and guidance to the remainder of the COP.

3 DEC

Health / Relief, Recovery, and Peace

These two themes - new for COPs - aim to boost policies and investment that protect lives and livelihoods and support community resilience and stability.

4 DEC

Finance / Trade / Gender Equality / Accountability

Finance and trade systems require transformational change if the world is to meet its climate goals. This day will focus on scale, access, and affordability through reform of the international financial architecture, sustainable finance market development, and strengthening voluntary carbon markets - with an over-arching goal to leverage private sector finance and improve equity.

5 DEC

Energy and Industry / Just Transition / Indigenous Peoples

This day will focus on levers and pathways for rapid decarbonization, job growth, and economic opportunity and just transition across the full energy and industrial value chains, while accelerating economic opportunity and job growth taking a holistic view of the just transition and the socio-economic considerations across all sectors, including energy.

6 DEC

Multilevel Action, Urbanization, and Built Environment / Transport

COP28 will feature a historic presence of local leaders, including mayors, governors, parliamentarians, business, and civil society leaders, united to accelerate climate action across all levels of government and society. The day will also highlight solutions to transition to low-carbon and resilient built environments and infrastructure, sustainable and circular waste systems, and sustainable mobility and freight. The day will particularly look at action in urban areas, where population growth, economic activity and greenhouse gas emissions converge.

7 DEC

DAY OF REST

COPs traditionally incorporate a ‘day of rest’ in the middle of the program for participants to reflect and recharge ahead of the second week. The presidency will not run programming on this day.

8 DEC

Youth, Children, Education, and Skills

This day seeks to empower young people to shape the outcomes of COP28 and beyond, particularly considering the disproportionate risks and impacts from climate change for children and youth. The day will look at equitable representation, stronger engagement mechanisms, and resource allocation across the COP themes and policy tracks. Focuses will include investment in youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship, inclusion in policymaking processes capacity-building, and transforming education to close the skills gap for green jobs aligned with climate action.

9 DEC

Nature, Land Use, and Oceans

The sustainability of nature, land use, and oceans are integral to achieving all the Paris Agreement’s goals. The recent adoption of the 30x30 biodiversity goal creates an imperative for integrated policy and investment for climate and nature. COP28 will focus on delivering climate and nature co-benefits through a range of financing mechanisms and packages, co-designed with local and Indigenous Peoples, to sustainably manage and conserve natural carbon sinks and biodiversity hotpots. The day will also seek to accelerate private sector commitments to nature-positive accountability frameworks.

10 DEC

Food, Agriculture, and Water

Climate change is creating severe pressure and risks for the agri-food and water systems that underpin human wellbeing. At the same time, these systems are also key contributors to climate change: one third of all human-made GHG emissions derive from agri-food systems, and 70% of fresh water consumed worldwide is used for agricultural production.

11 DEC

12 DEC

Final Negotiations

On the final two days of COP28, there will be no thematic days to avoid extensive programming when the negotiation text is often being closed. This decision was informed by widespread feedback received from stakeholders.

30 NOV

Opening Day

The 28th session of the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP28), hosted by the UAE, opens at Expo City, Dubai on 30 November 2023.

1 DEC

2 DEC

World Climate Action Summit

The World Climate Action Summit convenes heads of state and government, alongside leaders from civil society, business, youth, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, frontline communities, science, and other sectors to discuss concrete actions and plans aimed at scaling climate action. The summit serves as an important platform for major announcements and is intended to provide momentum and guidance to the remainder of the COP.

3 DEC

Health / Relief, Recovery, and Peace

These two themes - new for COPs - aim to boost policies and investment that protect lives and livelihoods and support community resilience and stability.

4 DEC

Finance / Trade / Gender Equality / Accountability

Finance and trade systems require transformational change if the world is to meet its climate goals. This day will focus on scale, access, and affordability through reform of the international financial architecture, sustainable finance market development, and strengthening voluntary carbon markets - with an over-arching goal to leverage private sector finance and improve equity.

5 DEC

Energy and Industry / Just Transition / Indigenous Peoples

This day will focus on levers and pathways for rapid decarbonization, job growth, and economic opportunity and just transition across the full energy and industrial value chains, while accelerating economic opportunity and job growth taking a holistic view of the just transition and the socio-economic considerations across all sectors, including energy.

6 DEC

Multilevel Action, Urbanization, and Built Environment / Transport

COP28 will feature a historic presence of local leaders, including mayors, governors, parliamentarians, business, and civil society leaders, united to accelerate climate action across all levels of government and society. The day will also highlight solutions to transition to low-carbon and resilient built environments and infrastructure, sustainable and circular waste systems, and sustainable mobility and freight. The day will particularly look at action in urban areas, where population growth, economic activity and greenhouse gas emissions converge.

7 DEC

DAY OF REST

COPs traditionally incorporate a ‘day of rest’ in the middle of the program for participants to reflect and recharge ahead of the second week. The presidency will not run programming on this day.

8 DEC

Youth, Children, Education, and Skills

This day seeks to empower young people to shape the outcomes of COP28 and beyond, particularly considering the disproportionate risks and impacts from climate change for children and youth. The day will look at equitable representation, stronger engagement mechanisms, and resource allocation across the COP themes and policy tracks. Focuses will include investment in youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship, inclusion in policymaking processes capacity-building, and transforming education to close the skills gap for green jobs aligned with climate action.

9 DEC

Nature, Land Use, and Oceans

The sustainability of nature, land use, and oceans are integral to achieving all the Paris Agreement’s goals. The recent adoption of the 30x30 biodiversity goal creates an imperative for integrated policy and investment for climate and nature. COP28 will focus on delivering climate and nature co-benefits through a range of financing mechanisms and packages, co-designed with local and Indigenous Peoples, to sustainably manage and conserve natural carbon sinks and biodiversity hotpots. The day will also seek to accelerate private sector commitments to nature-positive accountability frameworks.

10 DEC

Food, Agriculture, and Water

Climate change is creating severe pressure and risks for the agri-food and water systems that underpin human wellbeing. At the same time, these systems are also key contributors to climate change: one third of all human-made GHG emissions derive from agri-food systems, and 70% of fresh water consumed worldwide is used for agricultural production.

11 DEC

12 DEC

Final Negotiations

On the final two days of COP28, there will be no thematic days to avoid extensive programming when the negotiation text is often being closed. This decision was informed by widespread feedback received from stakeholders.