Minister for Environment and Climate Change John Cortes was a panellist on Friday at COP28, the UN Climate Summit in the United Arab Emirates in a discussion on Net Zero and the Paris Agreement in small territories.

A statement from the Government follows below:

The panel session was introduced, chaired and moderated by U.K. Climate Minister Graham Stuart. They were joined by the Deputy Premier of Bermuda Hon Walter Roban and Environment Ministers from Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez Guernsey) and Deputy Jonathan Renouf (Jersey). 

Minister Cortes explained the steps Gibraltar has taken towards reducing its carbon footprints and the challenges and possibilities the journey means for Gibraltar. 

This was followed by a private meeting with Minister Stuart in which future involvement in the COP process and Climate Finance were discussed together with other matters of mutual interest. 

Minister Cortes also participated in an event on the environment in general in Overseas Territories where he expressed the collective views of the Territories in relation to their aspirations. This latter event was attended by former Overseas Territories Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith.