The UAE will welcome more than 500 policymakers, business leaders and philanthropists from around the world when it hosts the Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum on Dec. 1-2 in Dubai.

The aim of the meeting is to advance cross-sectoral progress toward net zero and nature-positive goals, the Emirates News Agency reported on Thursday.

Attendees will discuss key priorities such as ensuring a fair energy transition, accelerating technology transfer, de-risking green investments and enabling effective nature conservation investment, it said.

The forum will be held alongside the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.

“To disrupt business as usual and fix climate finance, we need action from everyone,” COP28 President-designate Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al-Jaber said.

“We are committed to underpinning everything at COP28 with full inclusivity and we want to bring together key stakeholders to work on collective solutions. That is why I am hosting the Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum to deliver concrete outcomes from the private and philanthropic sectors that can be presented at the highest levels of COP28.

“Businesses and philanthropists must play leading roles in meeting net zero pathways and delivering sustainable development and at COP28 they will have a platform to do so,” he added.

The forum will be chaired by Badr Jafar, the COP28 special representative for business and philanthropy.

“The private sector holds the greatest promise to accelerate the accomplishment of our climate and nature global goals, which is why COP28 will ensure business and philanthropy are embraced as critical partners,” Jafar said.

The upcoming forum would serve as a “platform for action, breaking down silos between sectors and connecting stakeholders from all world regions around game-changing outcomes underpinned by the COP28 action agenda,” he added.

“This is what is needed to deliver scalable solutions that can positively transform the lives of billions of people.”

About 70,000 people are expected to attend COP28 UAE, including heads of state, government officials, industry leaders and academics.

One of the aims of the conference is to conduct an assessment of the progress made toward the climate targets mandated by the Paris agreement.