King to deliver opening address at Cop28 climate conference

Charles will address world leaders and delegates at the conference in Dubai on Friday.

King Charles has long championed the need for action for a sustainable future (Daniel Leal/PA) (PA Wire)

The King is set to deliver an address at the opening ceremony of the World Climate Action Summit and promote peace in the region as he attends Cop28 in Dubai on Friday.

Charles’ speech will be addressed to heads of state, government leaders and delegates at the climate conference, Buckingham Palace said.

Cop28 – or the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – begins on Thursday and runs until December 12 at Expo City Dubai.

Charles will also attend a number of other engagements while in the Gulf state, including meeting students and graduates from across the Commonwealth to hear about green tech, sustainable innovations and the role of young people in delivering climate solutions.

He will later meet global and Commonwealth indigenous leaders to discuss the role of traditional knowledge in fighting climate crises, and talk to female climate leaders about the risks posed to women by climate change.

On Thursday evening, the King will join His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, to formally launch the Cop28 Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum, before Friday’s speech.

It is the first time that Charles has delivered the opening address at the conference as King, having previously opened Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 and Cop21 in Paris in 2015.

He will be joined at the summit by world leaders, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Sunak said that he wanted to ensure that “love for the natural world continues into the next generations” and that nature was “at the centre of our action to tackle climate change”.

The Prime Minister’s comments came as the government announced that there would be a new national park for England and greater protection for urban wildlife havens and trees.

The summit was also due to be attended by Pope Francis, but his trip was cancelled on Tuesday due to ill health.