COP28 has produced some significant progress, and a few raised eyebrows.With the seventh day and week one over, the highlights so far:

• The North Star of the COP28 Presidency is to keep 1.5C within reach, and to do this the world must get to net-zero emissions by 2050 and reduce emissions by 43 per cent by 2030.
• COP28 has already mobilised over $57bn in the first four days to support priorities across the global climate agenda.
• Eight new declarations have been announced that will help transform every major system of the global economy, including the first ever declarations on food systems transformation and major declarations were also made on renewable energy and efficiency, as well as initiatives to decarbonise heavy emitting.
• In the first 48 hours of COP28, after an historic response to loss and damage, $725m has already been pledged.
• A new Gender-Responsive Just Transitions & Climate Action Partnership was unveiled to seek to address the disproportionate impact of climate-related job loss on women.
• Comments by Al Jaber on a phasing down, rather than out, of fossil fuels has raised eyebrows, in particular saying that a phase-out of fossil fuels would not allow sustainable development “unless you want to take the world back into caves”.
• The Kick Big Polluters Out (KBPO) coalition has stated that record number, 2456, of fossil fuel lobbyists have been granted access to the COP28 summit.
• Vladimir Putin visits the UEA despite an international arrest warrant
• There has been a new statement on urbanisation and climate change
• The largest ten concrete and cement companies have declared that they will decarbonise

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