The United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from November 30 to December 12, 2023. This was the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, which brought together leaders in government, civil society, industry, and finance. The main purpose of the conference was to assess the world’s progress on the Paris Agreement.

COP28 provided a key opportunity to hold world leaders and other stakeholders accountable for meaningful action to address climate change because the status quo approach is not working. We must change our thinking to recon with the full scope and scale of the challenge, which means acknowledging:

• We need more energy, not less. We must respect the imperatives of energy security and energy access, particularly in the developing world.
• We need more solutions, not fewer. There are no silver bullets. We must advance a wide range of climate solutions at the same time to maximize our chances of success.
• One size will not fit all. We must allow for region-centric approaches that respect regional diversity, energy security needs, and the development imperatives of the Global South.
• Economy-wide inclusion is key. We won’t get where we need to without buy-in from the full climate and energy ecosystem. We must work within the realities of our current energy economy, mitigating oil and gas emissions while seeking opportunities for engagement with industry on the road to a zero-emissions future.
• Accountability is critical. We must hold all parties accountable for turning ambition into action.