Minister Heijnen at COP28 Frontrunners Dinner

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening.

I'll be sharing a few thoughts on the vitally important interaction between the public and private sectors.

But first, thank you, Consul-General Carel Richter, for hosting this wonderful dinner.

And I'd like to extend a special welcome to Minister Al Zeyoudi. My colleague, Minister for Foreign Trade Liesje Schreinemacher, told me your recent visit to the Netherlands was very productive. Now we're visiting your beautiful country, and I'd like to thank you for your efforts to make COP28 a success.

Every day, scientists, policymakers, business leaders, children and grandparents are speaking up louder and louder. With one voice they're telling us: it's one minute to midnight in our race to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

I know this. You know this. We must keep 1.5 degrees alive. Each additional increase in temperature, however small, will have an irreversible impact on human wellbeing and quality of life on Earth. And we're not on track: the latest UN climate report shows that we're set to overshoot our target by more than half. We're currently heading for about3 degrees Celsius warming on a global scale, and even more extreme temperatures regionally.

To get back on track is why we're all here. I'm proud to be in the company of frontrunners. Of leaders who show what swift action looks like.

I'm convinced that effective collaboration between public and private parties will lead us to a climate-resilient, circular and just future. Because solutions at scale can only be achieved if we work together.

Over the past few years, I've seen how an enterprising spirit can transform society. Boosted by public-private cooperation, the Netherlands has been able to accelerate to the front of the pack, becoming frontrunners in several key sectors. Like the circular economy, which I'd like to highlight here.

The circular economy is a necessity for climate neutrality. Keeping materials in the loop means fewer emissions and strategic dependencies. It also has many secondary benefits in terms of economic gains, welfare and a healthy environment.

As I'm now in the good company of many leading companies, let's look at the economic reasons for circular business models, which many Dutch firms have already adopted. For example, instead of selling lightbulbs, Signify offers light as a service - including at Amsterdam Schiphol airport. Customers get a more durable product, with less environmental impact and a lower cost of upkeep. And for Signify, long-term lease contracts are more profitable too. Another example is Leadax - a company that uses recycled plastic to make lead flashing for the housebuilding industry. A low-cost, top-quality product for modern roofs.

There are so many examples of companies doing sustainable things: Unilever has redesigned its packaging for laundry detergents. DSM teamed up with Auping to create circular matrasses. And our maritime ports - the essence of Dutch trading spirit - are going to become hydrogen roundabouts and hubs for the industries of tomorrow.

It's clear that a lot of hard work is being done by a lot of parties to reshape the economy, to make it resilient, competitive and sustainable. To stay within planetary boundaries.

I consider this endeavour 'the art of the possible'. Yet, our efforts to achieve a futureproof economy will bear little fruit if we do not join forces on a global scale quickly enough.

This makes it so important to embrace pioneers - like yourselves - and set them new challenges in an international context.

Environmental and climate diplomacy plays a big part in the Netherlands' International Climate Strategy. And this in turn calls for close collaboration between government, businesses and NGOs. Together, we aim to encourage others to step out of their comfort zones and develop climate-resilient solutions. It's not just about what we achieve within our borders, but rather about the ripple effect we can create globally. It's about forging partnerships and a continuous exchange of views and ideas. It is, in other words, about progressing from ambition to transition.

And the Dutch government is there to help you with that. By sharing knowledge, best practices, international insights and through funding programmes, we stand ready to work side by side with you.

Here at COP28, for instance, we've launched the Dutch Partners for International Business programme that promotes climate-neutral real estate projects in the Gulf Region. We've heard how the Global Target on Renewable Energy aims to triple global renewable power capacity by 2030.

This morning saw the inaugural roundtable of the International Hydrogen Trade Forum, a collaboration between the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands aimed at promoting synergy between importing and exporting nations. The Netherlands is now putting words into action. How? By supporting a consortium of over 25 Dutch companies and knowledge institutions across the hydrogen chain, ready to partner with the UAE.

And today, I announced new signatories to the Global Memorandum on Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles. In this MoU parties will work together to ensure that all new trucks and buses sold will be 100 per cent zero-emission by 2040. Our ambition is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This explains our deep interest in sustainable business models in all sectors.

Looking at everyone here, from the UAE, the Netherlands and elsewhere, I have no doubt that knowledge exchange and entrepreneurship will help us all become fit for the future.

So, thank you for being the trailblazers. And of course, I look forward to the challenges and successes that lie ahead. Let us continue to step up our climate ambitions, to shape a future that is not only possible but truly sustainable. Let our innovations today lead us to inclusive green growth tomorrow. Let us embark on our joint endeavour and make the impossible possible.

May you all continue leading the way to a better and safer world for future generations.

I wish you all a pleasant evening.

Thank you.

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