Sharjah24 - AFP: Prior to the crucial conference in the United Arab Emirates later this year, Sultan Al Jaber, the president of the next UN climate talks, urged participants to significantly increase their usage of renewable energy.
The meeting in November needs "ambitious, transparent and accountable commitments from countries and businesses", Al Jaber said in a speech at the opening of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, a meeting of climate diplomats in Berlin.
"We will accelerate delivery in sectors like renewables that must triple capacity by 2030 and double it again by 2040," he added.
The summit chief's call echoes a key target laid out by the International Energy Agency.
Al Jaber had already raised the potential target at a closed-door meeting with G7 leaders in Japan last month.
While setting out a goal for faster renewables expansion, Al Jaber, who is also the chief executive of the UAE's state oil company, did not call for a complete end to the use of fossil fuels.
Rather, the future COP28 chair said the focus must be on removing the emissions such fuels produce.
"We must be laser focused on phasing out fossil fuel emissions, while phasing up viable, affordable zero-carbon alternatives," said Al Jaber.
Climate activists have criticised the decision to hold COP28 in the oil-rich UAE and the choice as COP president of Al Jaber, who also serves as the Gulf state's minister of industry and advanced technology.
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