The World Climate Action Summit welcomes world leaders to present their progress and ambitions across all pillars of the Paris Agreement, providing momentum and guidance for the remainder of the COP.

The World Climate Action Summit welcomes world leaders to present their progress and ambitions across all pillars of the Paris Agreement, providing momentum and guidance for the remainder of the COP.

The Health Day, in conjunction with the Relief, Recovery, and Peace Day aims to put a human face on climate change through the lens of health, as well as humanitarian relief, disaster risk reduction, reconstruction, and peace. Progress is being jeopardized by increasingly severe and frequent climate stresses and disasters; however, climate action in vulnerable areas saves lives and livelihoods and contributes to economic growth and stability.

Nature, land use, and oceans are integral to achieving all of the Paris Agreement’s goals, and recent adoption of the 30x30 biodiversity goal offers an enhanced opportunity to strengthen policy and investment around nature and ecosystem-based solutions. COP28's Nature, Land Use, and Oceans Day will focus on delivering climate and nature co-benefits through a range of financing mechanisms and platforms – co-designed with local and Indigenous communities – to sustainably manage and conserve natural carbon sinks and biodiversity hotpots. It will also seek to accelerate private sector commitments to nature-positive and stronger accountability frameworks.

Nourishing food and clean water are essential to life. Yet the systems we rely upon to produce and distribute healthy food and water are both highly vulnerable to climate change and key contributors to climate change. One third of all human-made GHG emissions derive from food (or “agrifood”) systems, and some 70% of all fresh water consumed worldwide is used for agricultural production. COP28’s Food and Water Systems Day will will be focused around global partnerships on the investments, technologies and policies which can collectively achieve net-zero, nature-positive, and resilient agrifood and water systems which also support producing communities and consumers. Specific focus areas include innovation investment, procurement, and national transformation pathways, underpinned by financing mechanisms and project preparation.

The Just Energy Transition Day, in conjunction with Industry Day, will focus on levers and pathways for rapid decarbonisation across the full energy and industrial value chains, accelerating economic and job growth. The days will present a package of outcomes fostering massive deployment of renewable energy, innovation and action for heavy-emitting sectors (including steel, cement, and aluminum), unlocking the potential of hydrogen, and decarbonization of oil and gas supplies, including through methane abatement and carbon management technologies. Outcomes will also address universal energy access and the needs of energy workers. The day will additionally have a special focus on cooling as a critical mitigation and adaptation factor.

COP28 will also introduce thematic discussions on the role of trade as an essential part of the solution to climate change and enabler of climate-smart growth, including supply chain decarbonization, greening, and resilience.

COPs traditionally incorporate a "day of rest" in the middle of the program for participants to reflect and recharge ahead of the second week. The presidency will not run programming on this day.

The day will lay the groundwork for COP to address climate change not only in the present moment but long into the future, by placing young people at the forefront of shaping COP outcomes. Building on youth galvanization of the climate action movement, the day will focus on enhancing opportunities for young people and preparing them to adapt to and thrive in the green economy. It will provide a space for youth positions to be heard and incorporated across the UNFCCC policy tracks, particularly in light of disproportionate risks and impacts for children and youth; mobilise support for innovative youth-led solutions, technology and entrepreneurship; foster stronger capacity-building, training and green jobs aligned with climate action; and set an ambitious agenda for transforming education to achieve climate ambitions. The day will emphasize the urgent need for intergenerational cooperation and climate justice, underscoring the fact that young people and future generations stand to inherit the consequences of actions taken today.

Financial systems and climate finance approaches require drastic and rapid change if the world is to meet climate goals. COP28's Finance Day aims to tackle three key challenges in climate finance - lack of scale, access, and affordability – and demonstrate that investing in a low-carbon and sustainable economy is not just economically feasible, but the most attractive business opportunity. Outcomes are intended to unlock climate finance at scale by engaging with the entire ecosystem. This ranges from macro-level reform of the international financial architecture, sustainable finance market development, and strengthening voluntary carbon markets, as well as by fostering private sector investment and mobilization, greater adoption of new technologies, and innovation.

The Gender Equality Day will focus on policies and investments to achieve a “gender-just” transition that enables the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in climate action. In addition to a focus on representation and decision-making, the Gender Equality Day - interlinking with Finance Day - will promote modalities and accountability around increased finance flows and resource allocations to women and girls, including through women’s organizations.

In a rapidly urbanizing world, cities and regions are playing an increasingly prominent role in transforming how we live, consume, and move. The Cities, Regions, and Urbanization Day will rally global and local stakeholders to mobilize resources and solutions to decarbonize the built environment, invest in nature-positive infrastructure, engineer more sustainable waste systems, and – through the interlinked Transport Day – deliver more people-and-planet-friendly modes of mobility and freight. It will also recognize cities as complex, dynamic ecosystems that convene diverse stakeholders - from youth and civil society to businesses and local and regional government - to innovate and collaborate for a better future.

On the final two days of COP28, we have opted for no thematic days to avoid extensive programming when the negotiation text is often being closed. This decision was informed by widespread feedback received from stakeholders.

On the final two days of COP28, we have opted for no thematic days to avoid extensive programming when the negotiation text is often being closed. This decision was informed by widespread feedback received from stakeholders.