November 25, 2023
Startups, large corporations, NGOs, academics, and government officials are among the delegations that will be present at COP28, which begins on November 30. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading the delegation.
The first global stocktake on progress in climate change will be the main focus of COP28, the most important climate summit of the year, which will be held this time from November 30 to December 12 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
What will Chile's role be, and which sectors will travel to the Middle East for the meeting? While representatives from the government, the private sector, organizations, and academia will be present, the official organization of the activities is being led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Division of Environment, Climate Change, and Oceans (DIMA). Our country has a prominent role. In fact, the current COP presidency (which changes every year depending on the host country) requested support from Chile and Australia to lead the ministerial consultations on the Climate Adaptation Agenda, a topic that will be spearheaded by the Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas.
Our country has also been present on priority issues in the negotiations, such as mitigation and finance. “Chile’s negotiating team is going to this COP determined to promote a faster transition from current emission levels to carbon neutrality by mid-century, while continuing to strengthen the country’s position on key issues, such as ocean conservation, among others,” says Julio Cordano, head of Chile’s negotiating team at COP28 and Director of Environment, Climate Change, and Oceans at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the entity in charge of the Chilean Pavilion, which will host a series of parallel events in the Blue Zone of the COP venue. This is no small matter considering the presence of more than 30,000 delegates from around the world at the summit.
The DIMA delegation comprises representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs , Environment, Energy, Finance, Agriculture, and Economy, in addition to the participation of young negotiators selected through a competition led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Chile will also participate in the launch of climate action initiatives such as the “Climate Club,” which our country co-leads with Germany. This initiative promotes international collaboration on emissions reductions in the industrial sector (steel and cement).
Various groups
Another public sector entity also organizing a delegation is ProChile. It selected 15 Chilean companies through a public call for applications to participate in its mission to the United Arab Emirates, sharing the solutions they have developed to address the effects of the climate crisis. Most are part of a significant wave of startups. Among them are Herco Equipments, specializing in the reuse of parts for mining machinery; Kilimo, dedicated to water conservation in agricultural irrigation; Instacrops, specializing in the development of hardware and software for agriculture; and Bioelements, which produces sustainable bioplastics. The others are Remote Waters, Aintech, Reborn Electric Motors, Photio, Lader Energy, Reciclapp, T Phite, Suncast, Rudanac, Drovid, and Mercado Circular.
“We are proud of the development of these types of solutions in our country, demonstrating a strengthening and growth of our export offerings, thanks to a public-private partnership. This mission is diverse and decentralized, and 40% of the companies involved are women-led,” says María Pilar Jiménez, head of the Inclusive Export Development Department at ProChile, who will also be at COP28. Ignacio Parada, CEO of Bioelements, adds: “We will explain how our solutions have transformed the way packaging is designed and produced, and how they impact not only waste reduction but also the promotion of actions that nourish microorganisms and strengthen the environment.”
As in previous years, a number of specialists and key figures from Chile involved in the world of climate change will participate, including Gonzalo Muñoz, High Level Champion of COP25; Ricardo Bosshard, director of WWF Chile; Marcelo Mena, professor at the Catholic University of Valparaíso; and Camila Fernández Silva, engagement leader for Latin America and the Caribbean on the High Level Champions team. “My responsibility is to identify the initiatives, actors, and goals that will contribute to the path toward COP30, which will take place in Brazil. The aim is to build a bridge between the priorities of this COP, which include the energy transition, finance, nature, and inclusion, and the specific priorities of the region,” explains Fernández.
Several top executives from major companies will also be attending. For example, Nicolás Gordon, Felipe Torres, and CEO Francisco Ruiz-Tagle will be representing CMPC. Josefina Montero and Fiona Bello will be attending from Colbún. “It’s a great opportunity to learn about the major trends in decarbonization and, at the same time, share our experience with nature-based solutions as a tool for mitigating and adapting to climate change,” says Valentina Lira, Sustainability Manager at Viña Concha y Toro, who will also be in Dubai.
Another company sending a delegation is Latam. “This is the first time we’ve participated in a COP, and we hope to find a space for learning and interaction with those who are leading and collaborating on the agenda to address the climate crisis,” says Juan José Tohá, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability for the Latam group.
Additionally, Chile will seek to further its position on key issues, such as the ocean. In this regard, together with Canada, they are organizing the Ocean-Climate Dialogue, the main forum for discussion on this topic at COP28.