Representatives of COP Troika meet King Charles as Keir Starmer-led Labour stresses more climate action

The UAE hosted the COP28 Summit last November at Expo City Dubai, luring participants from over a hundred countries. The annual climate conference resulted in the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund and also stressed a just energy transition.

COP28 President Dr Sultan al Jaber, also the UAE minister of industry and advanced technology, met King Charles III in London on Friday, besides COP29 President Designate Mukhtar Babayev of Baku and the national secretary for climate change of Brazil, Ana Toni.

COP Troika designed to lock in continuity in climate action

The monarch has long been a lifelong environmentalist. The COP Troika are urging countries to make their next green policy plans “truly transformational” as a 2025 deadline to update them looms, according to a report on The National.

The troika is “designed to maintain momentum, lock in continuity, anchor implementation and build a bridge of progress between Cops,” said the Emirati COP28 team after the meeting in London. The issue of climate finance is set to dominate COP29 in Baku.

In a series of recent announcements, Baku has invited fossil fuel producers to contribute to a $1 billion climate fund on a voluntary basis. Babayev described London as a “key hub for climate action and diplomacy” as his country looks for support from the UK.

Labour government looking to “reset the narrative”

The meeting in London comes against a backdrop of the UK seeking to regain influence on the global stage in terms of climate action. The Labour government is looking to “reset the narrative”. It has been deepening focus on clean energy transition.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously accused his predecessor Rishi Sunak of the Conservative party of going missing on the climate negotiating stage. The incumbent leader has formally been invited to Baku.