COP28, the annual global UN Climate Conference taking place November 30 – December 12, will bring together heads of state and government officials, UN agencies, corporations, civil society and young people to negotiate and coordinate global climate action.

Hosted by the United Arab Emirates, this year’s conference takes place amidst a growing sense of urgency regarding the impact climate change already has on people and the planet. One striking indication of this reality: 2023 is likely to set a record as the hottest year ever recorded.

But even with the overwhelming and often dramatic effects of the climate crisis on full display, there is growing concern that commitments made by governments, industry, and others are softening in the face of other global challenges.

Will COP28 get us back on track?

At COP28, World Vision will call on global leaders to take more ambitious action, especially in relation to children. In fact, World Vision has included five children on our delegation, including three Irish delegates, who will deliver that message directly. As children are the most vulnerable to the effects of a changing environment, their witness and their future must be at the heart of planning and decision-making.

From fighting for a child’s right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; to the impact of climate change on hunger and malnutrition; promoting nature-based agricultural solutions that restore arable land, and discussing the importance of faith-based communities to climate crisis responses, World Vision will make sure that children and youth are at the centre of the debate and the outcomes of COP28.

As a faith-based organisation, World Vision continues to pray for children and communities most affected by climate change, and that leaders at COP28 realise that this is a do-or-die moment for the world’s most vulnerable children, and decide to act now.

For more information about World Vision Ireland's presence at COP28, to learn more about our programmes and/or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

press@worldvision.ie