This footage was filmed and produced 30 November 2023.

The COP28 Conference of the Parties on Thursday adopted the launch of the loss and damage fund to compensate countries vulnerable to climate change, on the opening day of the annual UN-sponsored event in Dubai, where an urgent call was made to abandon the use of fossil fuels.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the decision to "operationalize the new loss and damage fund, an essential tool to deliver climate justice to the most vulnerable people," said his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

This historic decision, celebrated by all participants, comes after the approval, at last year's COP27 in Egypt, of the fund and the creation of a committee of 24 countries, three of them from Latin America and the Caribbean, to define the details on the implementation of the fund.

"I congratulate the parties on this historic decision. It is a positive signal to the world and to our work," said the Emirati chairman of COP 28, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. "We have written a page of history today (...) the speed with which we have done this has been a great success.

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the COP28 exteriors;
2. various from the opening press conference ;
3. SOUNDBITE: Emirati President of COP28, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber
4. various of the COP28 exteriors.