Dubai, UAE – President George Manneh Weah has delivered a compelling appeal at the ongoing Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai, urging major global powers to adopt inclusive and practical measures to address the escalating challenges of global warming and climate change. In his address, President Weah highlighted the severe impacts of climate change, emphasizing the urgent need for nations to act on the principles and commitments agreed upon in previous meetings.
“As we convene here at COP28, I stand before you in recognition of the unprecedented challenges our world faces today due to climate change,” asserted President Weah. He drew attention to the year 2023, marked by record-breaking heat, droughts, flooding, and other climate-induced disasters, emphasizing the critical importance of assessing progress on commitments made during the 2015 Paris Agreement.
President Weah called for a candid re-evaluation of the global progress toward achieving the aspirational goal of limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Centigrade by 2030. He stressed that if the review determines insufficient progress, it becomes the collective responsibility of all nations at COP28 to adopt a more imperative and realistic agenda, transforming climate-related decisions into concrete actions and credible plans.
The Liberian leader emphasized the need for increased financial commitments to combat the climate emergency. He reiterated his call for major greenhouse gas-emitting countries to develop new initiatives for emissions reductions and significantly increase financial pledges for United Nations climate financing initiatives. President Weah also urged careful oversight in overhauling and regulating carbon credit financing mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability.
He highlighted the vulnerability of nations like Liberia, emphasizing the crucial need for more financial support to protect against the ravages of global warming and climate change. President Weah concluded his address by challenging delegates to ensure that COP28 results in resolute decisions and practical initiatives, contributing to the preservation of Planet Earth for the sake of future generations.
By: Alphanso G. Kalama
