COP28 President Al Jaber said adaptation must be put front and centre on the climate agenda. (Source: newarab)

“We are living in a world of extreme heat, water scarcity and food insecurity. We are also experiencing extreme climate impacts, from drought to devastating floods in Derna. To benefit the region, we must put adaptation front and center on the climate agenda,” Al Jaber said in a speech on October 8 at MENA Climate Week in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Mr. Jaber also stressed that donors must double adaptation finance and replenish the green climate fund.

The COP28 conference will be held in the United Arab Emirates later this year.

According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), extreme weather events caused by climate change have forced 43.1 million children to leave their homes between 2016 and 2021.

A report released on October 5 by UNICEF shows that the frequency of four types of climate disasters as classified by the organization (floods, storms, droughts and wildfires) is increasing due to global warming.