The 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 28) opened on November 30 at Expo City Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Attending are representatives of 197 countries and over 70,000 participants; the two-week summit focuses on global climate resilience and solutions. Tzu Chi Foundation, a key player as part of the Multi-faith Advisory Council (MFAC), has sent a delegation to engage actively in forums and exhibitions. Tzu Chi will share its impactful initiatives. They cover environmental protection, plastic reduction, and medical waste reduction, and emphasize collaboration across religious groups to combat climate change.

Key members of the Tzu Chi delegation participating in the first week's agenda include Vice Superintendent Ming-Nan Lin from Tzu Chi Dalin General Hospital, Dr. Chi-Ming Peng, PhD in Atmospheric Sciences and founder of WeatherRisk Explore Inc., German volunteers Mei Feng Lin and Jan Wolf, and Global Partnership Affairs Department Steve Chiu, and Tiffany Tu. The Tzu Chi team at this summit will focus on activities in the "Blue Zone" --specifically the "Food4Climate," "Faith Pavilion," and "Digital X Pavilion." They will describe projects addressing climate change, such as the "Great Love Farm" aimed at creating sustainable food systems in several African countries to enhance the climate resilience of indigenous people. These align with Tzu Chi's core environmental principles.

On November 30, following Fiji's "Talanoa Dialogue," Tzu Chi and the Interfaith Liaison Committee held the "Talanoa Dialogue and Interfaith Gathering" at the Christ Church Jebel Ali. Leading discussions on food resources, Tzu Chi encouraged reflections across faith groups to address climate change, collaborate on food system reforms, disaster prevention, post-disaster recovery, education, and advocacy.

According to ERA5 data, November 17, 2023 was the first time that global surface temperatures exceeded 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Furthermore, 2023 has been the hottest summer (June-August) since weather records began in 1940. The rate of sea level rise has doubled in the past decade, projecting a 1.5°C increase by 2035. This underscores the urgency for climate action, considering the increase in extreme weather events.

For a deeper understanding of Tzu Chi's impactful initiatives at COP 28, visit Tzu Chi's COP 28 page.