Benelux @ COP28

The Benelux General Secretariat actively participated in the United Nations Climate Change conference COP28, which took place in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023.

During the COP 28 Summit, nations, companies, financial institutions, and civil society were united to reaffirm their commitment to addressing the climate challenge through coordinated and collaborative efforts.

The delegation was led by Benelux Secretary General Frans Weekers, alongside Deputy Secretary Generals Michel-Etienne Tilemans and Jean-Claude Meyer.

People in attendance could visite the BENELUX-EIB pavilion.

Additionally, the Benelux Union is actively engaging in various projects centred around sustainability. The cross border cooperation involves multiple initiatives aimed at fostering environmental resilience and combating climate change.

Join us in our commitment to a sustainable future!

Key events

Find below a brief selection of our key events in the margins of the COP28 summit.

• 5 December 2023 - 09:30-11:00 AT

Transport Decarbonisation and Global Standards for the Export and Import of Fuels and Used Cars – with Benelux Secretary General Frans Weekers

Watch the event here

Summary

The side-event focuses on transport decarbonization and global standards for the export and import of clean fuels and used vehicles, bringing together ministers, policy makers, and relevant stakeholders to discuss cooperation towards clean fuels and used vehicle standards.

• 6 December 2023 - EIB/Benelux pavilion - 06:30-08:00 GMT+1

Benelux countries paving the way for a Global Hydrogen Market - with Benelux Secretary General Frans Weekers 

Watch the livestream

Summary

The objective is to bring together Benelux, EU and third country actors into a 1h30 discussion panel on shaping a low-carbon hydrogen future. The role of new partnerships and import will be central in this debate. We will be discussing the role of green and low carbon hydrogen for the decarbonization of industry and hard-to abate-sectors, in the context of the EU’s hydrogen strategy and REpowerEU, and mechanisms to facilitate the participation of renewable hydrogen imports from third countries, while using the results of the recently published Benelux+ Hydrogen study.

Opening Statement: Frans Weekers, Secretary General of Benelux Secretariat - Keynote speech Ambroise Fayolle, Vice President European Investment Bank Panel Debate lead by Moderator: Shirin Wheeler, European Investment Bank - Opening Pitch: Results of Benelux+ Hydrogen study by Luxembourg representative - James Mnyupe, the President’s Economic Advisor and Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Commissioner - Chile representative - Elina Roine, Director for Operations Support & Climate at the European Investment Bank - Tiffany Vass (IEA energy analyst) - Dutch representative - Conclusions on the way forward + handover Benelux H2 study to third countries Tinne van der Straeten, Belgian Minister of Energy

More events at the BENELUX-EIB pavilion:

EIB & BENELUX programme @COP28 in Dubai

BENELUX @ COP29

The COP29 will take place in Baku, azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2025.

 

EIB-Benelux Pavillion		Arrival at COP28 in the EIB-Benelux Pavillion
Meeting with Frank Wouters, Chairman of the Benelux Business Council (UAE)		With Bastiaan Hassing, Head of Dutch delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Mr. Frans Weekers as panelist at side-event at COP28 'Transport decarbonisation and global standards for the export ad import ot fuels and used cars'
with European Commission DG Climate Kurt Vandenberghe
Participation at panel "Benelux countries paving the way for a Global Hydrogen Market"		Frans Weekers being interviewed by ClimateActionDialogue,  a project financed by Luxemburg

 

 

 

 

Looking back at Benelux @ COP26