The King visits Dubai to attend COP28 UAE

Thursday 30th November

On Thursday, The King met students and graduates from across the Commonwealth at Heriot-Watt University’s Dubai Campus, and met entrepreneurs to hear about green tech and sustainable innovations. 

Set up at the Dubai campus to run alongside COP28, the Climate Hub's Cleantech exhibition gives companies a chance to meet policy makers, potential investors, and industry leaders.

Youth engagement is a key theme of the Hub, and many students are volunteering to assist exhibitors. 

Later, at a Commonwealth and Nature reception hosted jointly by the Commonwealth Secretary and the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, The King spent time with global and Commonwealth indigenous leaders to hear about the use of traditional knowledge, alongside scientific knowledge, to address the climate and nature crises.

During the reception, the Commonwealth Secretary and Circular Bioeconomy Alliance launched the Wildfire-Resilient Landscapes Network, which combines indigenous and scientific knowledge to create landscapes resilient to wildfires in fire-prone areas of the world. 

His Majesty also joined a discussion on the particular risks that climate change poses to women and girls around the globe. 

At an evening reception to launch the inaugural Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum, The King joined global Heads of State and Government, business CEOs, philanthropists, and heads of NGOs, to celebrate the important role the private sector plays in driving climate action.

The reception was hosted jointly by the COP28 Presidency and The SMI, which was created by His Majesty when he was Prince of Wales. 

Friday 1st December

On Friday, The King joined world leaders at the Opening Ceremony of the World Climate Action Summit, at Expo City Dubai, for COP28 UAE. 

During the Summit, His Majesty delivered an address in which he said:

In 2050 our grandchildren won’t be asking what we said, they will be living with the consequences of what we did or didn’t do.

"So, if we act together to safeguard our precious planet, the welfare of all our people will surely follow.

"We need to remember that the indigenous world view teaches us that we are all connected. Not only as human beings, but with all living things and all that sustains life. As part of this grand and sacred system, harmony with Nature must be maintained. 

The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth.