COP28 delivers "historic" consensus to accelerate global climate action: president

DUBAI, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber announced on Wednesday that parties to the UN climate summit have reached a final consensus on a "historic" climate deal.

"It is an enhanced, balanced but make no mistake, a historic package to accelerate climate action. It is the UAE Consensus," said Al Jaber.

The deal stipulates a slew of measures to cope with climate change regarding adaptation, finance, flexibility, and fossil fuels, among others.

The president added that the plan is "a balanced plan that tackles emissions, bridges the gap on adaptation, reimagines global finance, and delivers on loss and damage," noting that it is built on the common ground, strengthened by inclusivity and reinforced by collaboration.

Al Jaber expressed confidence that all of these crucial actions will help shape a better and cleaner world with greater and more equitable prosperity, urging steps necessary to turn this agreement into tangible action.

Also, he said the summit had delivered a paradigm shift that "has the potential to redefine our economies."

Addressing the closing plenary of COP28, Zhao Yingmin, head of the Chinese delegation to COP28 and China's vice minister of ecology and environment, hailed that COP28 has provided a general direction for the next phase of global climate action.

Zhao said the first-ever global stocktake of the Paris Agreement during COP28 has further consolidated the general global trend toward a green and low-carbon future.

The consensus came after COP28, or the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, was extended beyond the official end time of midday Tuesday due to the deadlock over the previous draft text of a final agreement.