From November 30 to December 12, COP28 was being held in Dubai, i.e. the 28th UN International Conference on Climate Change with the participation of leaders of states and international organizations, scientists, executives of global environmental organizations and activists. COP28 is taking place in a year (2023) that is expected to be the hottest year in the recorded history of the planet and with forecasts limiting the rise in the average global temperature to 3 °C by the end of the century above pre-industrial levels. Although all the efforts and commitments were not to exceed the average temperature of their planet 1.5 °C.

Essentially, it is the Conference of the parties that have subscribed to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which entered into force on March 21, 1994. It has been validated by 198 countries, including Cyprus. The Paris Climate Agreement (2015 at COP21) is considered to extend this Convention.

COP28 is expected to: (1) Determine the current state of climate change, (2) Decide what actions will be taken to halt the course of climate change, (3) Determine how these actions will be implemented, and (4) To decide the timetables for the implementation of these actions. At COP28, in other words, the "Global Stocktake" of the implementation of the Paris Agreement will take place, which will help countries to realize the current situation and set more specific and ambitious goals for "Climate Action". World leaders are called to adopt green policies, green solutions and green funds, which will fuel the entire effort to curb Climate Change. The expectation of the activists is that at COP28 it will be decided to end the use of fossil fuels and that COP28 will be the starting point for the "Green Change" for the planet.

The EU is leading the drive for climate neutrality as it is the first to adopt the goal of making Europe the first climate neutral continent by 2050. The EU wants to lead this green change for a better tomorrow and to save the planet. It wants to promote a "green economy" that gives more to the planet than it takes from it. With the "Green Deal", "Green Transition" and "Digital Transformation" as key tools, the EU aims to have the other Parties to the Convention adopt the European legislation (climate law) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% ( Fit for 55) until 2030. He considers that the decade we are going through is of critical importance and has set the following 4 priorities:

1. Exclusion of fossil fuels and increase (tripling) of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.

2. Focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the current decade.

3. Adaptation to climate change.

4. Securing climate finance to address climate change losses and damages.

By adopting a global strategy, the EU invests both in mitigating the effects of climate change and in the resilience of states, economies, businesses and citizens to climate change. It adopts the use of "clean energy" and "green technology" to achieve energy security on the one hand and the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the other. To this end, the EU and the European Investment Bank will make available €28.5 billion in "climate finance" from public sources and another €11.9 billion in private finance for developing economies to adopt climate-green policies and deal with losses and damages from climate change. This funding is 20% increased compared to 2021.

The creation of a Global Fund for Climate Disasters already decided by COP28 is a first auspicious result. This fund is expected to finance countries, especially countries of the "global south" with developing economies to deal with climate disasters such as drought, floods, widespread fires, rising sea levels and extreme weather events. The EU will contribute over $245 million. The goal is for this global fund to have 100 billion dollars a year. However, the glaring absence of the leaders of the USA and China, which are among the largest producers of greenhouse gases, cannot be ignored.

Greece, like Cyprus, participates in COP28 at the highest level. Greece has set up its own booth at the Conference and will emphasize the international conference it will organize in 2024 on the protection of seas, oceans and coastal ecosystems entitled “Our Oceans”. They will also present the "GR-Eco Islands" initiative for the creation of ecological islands such as Astypalaia and Halki. Also, Greece has created a special website for COP28 (www.greeceincop.gr). Cyprus is represented at COP28 with the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr. Nikos Christodoulidis and presented the implementation of the Cypriot climate initiative that was presented for the first time at COP27 and is mainly aimed at the coordination of climate change actions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Particularly important are the statements of the Cypriot President on the creation and promotion of green cities and green communities and villages of Cyprus. At this point it is particularly important to emphasize the need for Cyprus to place more emphasis on the adoption by our cities and communities of green practices in order to become truly green and climate neutral, since approximately 70% of greenhouse gas emissions come from from the cities. We need renewable, resilient, climate neutral and green cities. Transportation is also particularly important for Cyprus, accounting for approximately 40% of greenhouse gas emissions. The transport landscape in Cyprus needs a complete change by taking bold decisions without delay, to introduce public transport and fixed track public transport, both within cities and between cities. Our cities and businesses must become incubators of green innovation, climate innovation and green solutions.

Businesses and organizations are important partners in achieving any decisions from COP28 as well as in achieving the green transformation and the green economy. Businesses, on the one hand, must adapt to the new environment of the green economy, but on the other hand, they can be part of the solution and the effort to curb climate change. It is in the interest of businesses to adjust their priorities, processes, objectives and policies and practices towards sustainability and the green economy. Investments in Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility and in the green skills of their employees should be increased and strengthened. Critical to achieving any COP28 decisions is an awareness of the global 'green skills' gap. According to the Vice President of LinkedIn only 1 in 8 employees have the green skills needed to achieve climate neutrality. Therefore, the investments of organizations and businesses in the development of green skills are critical for their future.

Drought, the rise in temperature that has reached "global boiling", floods and other extreme phenomena, leave no choice but green decisions at COP28 to urgently curb climate change. Whether the leaders of the countries of the world will make the crucial but necessary decisions needed to save the planet remains a question. Sure, green policies cost money but the effects of climate change cost more.