When the UAE welcomes the world to COP28 at Dubai Expo City in a few days’ time, it will herald the beginning of a UN climate summit like no other. As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, the key agenda at the heart of COP28 UAE is to deliver the first-ever Global Stocktake (GST) — a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals that will help align the massive efforts under way on climate action. Opportunity to shape our future Indeed, confronting this collective challenge requires the world to respond with a clear action plan and collaborative solutions: with the clock ticking to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, no single country, industry or company can deliver this monumental change alone. All of us need to seize this critical opportunity to shape our future. That’s why I am looking forward to joining thousands of industry leaders from around the world at COP28 in Dubai in search of positive, action-oriented engagements and driving positive outcomes in the quest to accelerate practical and progressive climate action. As frequently stated by Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, COP28 will lead a robust process for all parties to agree upon a clear road map to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition that leaves no one behind. The summit will create the space and the environment for all parties to convene and find common ground – uniting in their joint efforts to make the world a more sustainable, resilient and productive place. Such inclusive climate action to preserve and protect our natural resources while helping industries progress and prosper is precisely what Veolia has been engaged in for the past 35 years in the Near and Middle East. Our status as the global champion of ecological transformation implies that we carry the great responsibility of setting the gold standard in environmental solutions. True to that legacy, Veolia Near and Middle East has been at the forefront of pioneering the region’s circular economy by providing essential services, protecting the environment and human health, fighting pollution, and creating alternative resources based on our pillars of energy, water and waste management. These three pillars are particularly critical when operating in one of the world’s most water-scarce regions that also has the world’s highest rate of domestic water consumption and is going through an unprecedented phase of rapid urbanisation and population growth.