NET ZERO
She adds : “ Ambitious targets are a starting point , but we need a combination of concerted bottom-up and top-down actions to translate promises to practicalities .
“ There is no one-size-fits-all ; global orchestration of increasingly diverse policies , technology pathways , and socially affordable , acceptable solutions is the best way to succeed . There has never been a more significant moment to pull together visionary leadership and the world energy community .”
COP28 : A critical milestone It ’ s fair to say plenty of questions were asked when HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber – the CEO of an oil giant – was announced as the President of COP28 , to be held in Dubai later this year . The phrase “ conflict of interest ” was frequently bandied around and there were accusations that net zero had been rejected .
Others , however , recognised an opportunity to scale renewables with other clean energy solutions and highlighted the need for inclusive implementation .
Wilkinson falls into the latter camp , pointing out that the United Arab Emirates has been leading the charge : “ The UAE is one of a handful of governments worldwide that has invested serious efforts in mainstreaming strategic foresight and future design practices in national policy . Indeed , its leadership journey in embracing the transition from fossil fuels to renewable electrification started decades ago .
“ The WEC is committed to working closely with visionary leaders , such as HE Dr Sultan , and helping pull together an inclusive , impactful climate-energy convening at COP28 . It ’ s a critical milestone on the road to the 26th World Energy Congress in Rotterdam ( April 2024 ) for our world energy community .”
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