Britain's King Charles III expressed his hope on Friday that the COP28 will be "another critical turning point," saying dangers arising from climate change are no longer distant risks.
In his address during the opening of the COP28 summit in Dubai, Charles mentioned the loss of lives across the globe caused by climate change-related extreme weather events.
"I pray with all my heart that COP28 will be another critical turning point towards genuine transformational action at a time when, already, as scientists have been warning for so long, we are seeing alarming tipping points being reached," said the king.
He noted that despite efforts to curb the negative effects of climate change, there is 30% more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now and almost 40% more methane.
"Some important progress has been made, but it worries me greatly that we remain so dreadfully far off track as the Global Stocktake report demonstrates so graphically," added Charles.
Saying that "the dangers are no longer distant risks," he underlined that countless communities are "unable to withstand repeated shocks," whose lives and livelihoods are laid waste by climate change.
"Unless we rapidly repair and restore Nature's unique economy, based on harmony and balance, which is our ultimate sustainer, our own economy and survivability will be imperiled."
"Records are now being broken so often that we are perhaps becoming immune to what they are really telling us," he said, referring to the reports of temperature records.
King Charles underlined that everyone must work equally towards "being Naturepositive" as the world works towards a zero-carbon future.
"In your hands is an unmissable opportunity to keep our common hope alive," stressed Charles, urging the attending leaders to meet it with "ambition, imagination, and a true sense of the emergency we face."
He noted that harmony with nature "must be maintained," concluding: "The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth."
Heads of state and governments worldwide, as well as NGOs, businesses and civil societies, are gathering in the UAE at this year's UN climate change conference to accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis.
