COP28: Your Guide to the 2023 UN Climate Conference

This November, representatives from nearly 200 countries will come together to coordinate global climate action for the next year—an event referred to as COP28.

If you’ve never heard of COP28, or if you need a refresher, this guide will tell you what to expect from the event, why TNC will be there with staff from over 20 countries around the globe—and what this all means for you.

1. What is COP28?

COP28 stands for the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In this guide we’ll call it COP; you might also hear this referred to as the UN climate change convention.

At the annual climate COP, delegates from nearly every country on Earth negotiate global goals for tackling climate change, present their individual countries’ plans for contributing to those goals, and report on their progress.

Why is COP28 important?

The world is facing unprecedented impacts from a warming planet already: record-breaking wildfires, catastrophic floods, and unbearable heat waves. And what’s worse, the first ever report card on our climate progress (appropriately named the Global Stocktake) showed exactly how far behind we are in our climate ambitions. We need dramatic actions to benefit our climate and we need them now. COP28 is the world’s chance to level up.

The climate COP meets in a different city every year to demonstrate the importance of collaboration from nations across the globe. This year’s meeting will be held November 30 to December 12 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). While the overall goal of all these meetings is increasing global cooperation to fight climate change, the specific topics can vary each year.

Similar to last year, the host country sets the tone and initial direction of discussion. For this year, the focus areas for COP28 include:

Fast tracking the energy transition and slashing emissions before 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5° C (2.7° F) above pre-industrial levels.

Put nature, people, lives and livelihoods at the heart of climate action, including helping the most vulnerable communities adapt to the change that’s already occurring.

Deliver old promises and set the framework for a new deal on finance. Climate finance must be affordable, available, and accessible to developing countries.

Mobilize the most inclusive COP ever, ensuring that decisions and discussions, and how the solutions are implemented, are truly inclusive and done in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

2. Why is TNC at COP28?

With some of the world’s top policy makers and climate experts at COP28, there’s a tremendous opportunity to advance the critical role nature plays in combating climate change and implementing the Paris Agreement.

As countries work to update and align their climate plans, TNC staff will be at the forefront of negotiations with government and business leaders, pushing for greater ambition to reduce emissions, build more resilience into societies, and invest more in both mitigation and adaption efforts.

To accomplish these goals, we’ll be advocating for both swifter transition to renewable energy source and more use of natural climate solutions, and more investment from both the public and private sectors, especially to help those countries that have been most affected the impacts of climate change. We’ll also be working to ensure Indigenous and local community voices are heard, as these are the people who know best how to work with nature in their communities.

3. What can we do to help address climate change?

Every action matters. Every ounce of carbon, every fraction of a degree, every day matters. Our leaders’ climate actions matter and your climate actions matter.

That’s why at COP28 we’re advocating for 3 core themes. As a global society, we must:

Reduce emissions. We must keep attention clearly focused on climate change mitigation and just energy transition.

Build climate-resilient societies. We must build societies that can withstand the impacts of the climate crisis, and empower groups who steward nature to secure their homes, livelihoods and futures.

Invest in these solutions. We must inspire commitments and investments in nature-positive projects, policies and practices.

4. Dive Deeper on the Issues at COP28

Want to learn more about some of the issues being discussed at COP28? In this last section of the guide, we’ve curated articles and videos on the most important issues at this year’s climate conference.