Climate and Gaza crises share spotlight as world leaders attend COP28

World leaders take centre stage at UN climate talks in Dubai on Friday, under pressure to step up efforts to limit global warming as the Israel-Hamas conflict casts a shadow over the summit.

The COP28 conference kicked off on Thursday with an early victory as nations agreed to launch a "loss and damage" fund for vulnerable countries devastated by natural disasters.

But delegates face two weeks of tough negotiations on an array of issues that have long bedevilled climate talks, starting with the future of fossil fuels.

The sense of urgency was heightened by a UN warning that 2023 is on track to become the hottest year on record, raising fears the world will not meet the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

"Now the real work only begins," the oil-rich UAE's COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber said on Thursday.

"I will be rolling up my sleeves myself, engaging and helping address this challenge and delivering real, actionable results," Jaber said, though he claimed there was "positivity" and an "optimistic" vibe following the loss and damage announcement.

Jaber, who heads the UAE's national oil firm ADNOC, said the "role of fossil fuels" must be included at the UN's climate talks.

Activists, countries hardest hit by climate impacts and UN chief Antonio Guterres have called for a phase out of fossil fuels, which are responsible for three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions.

Gaza war

The spotlight now turns to more than 140 kings, presidents and prime ministers who will address delegates at the sprawling Expo City Dubai complex on Friday and Saturday.

Britain's King Charles III will kick off those addresses, followed by leaders from nations including the likes of Brazil,...