Buckingham Palace confirmed on Wednesday that King Charles III will be attending the UN's COP28 climate summit in Dubai this year. The monarch will also have the honor of delivering an address at the opening ceremony of the event.

This decision comes after the UK government, led by then-Prime Minister Liz Truss, advised against the King's attendance at the 2022 annual talks held in Egypt. However, after consultations with the government, it was jointly agreed that COP28 in Dubai would be an appropriate occasion for the King's first trip overseas as sovereign.

While few world leaders have confirmed their attendance at the talks, it remains uncertain whether US President Joe Biden will be traveling to the United Arab Emirates for the event.

King Charles III, at the age of 74, will deliver his address on December 1 and will also hold meetings with regional leaders during his visit. The timing of his presence at the climate summit holds significance, as tensions in the Middle East are currently high due to the Israel-Gaza war, which has the potential to spill over to other countries in the region.

The palace statement declared, "The King will attend the Opening Ceremony of the World Climate Action Summit at COP28 UAE, at the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and at the request of His Majesty's Government, on Friday 1st December 2023."

Additionally, as part of his visit to the UAE, King Charles III will participate in a reception to launch the inaugural COP28 Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum. This two-day event will coincide with the UN summit and will be hosted by the COP28 presidency in strategic partnership with Charles' Sustainable Markets Initiative, which he established while still Prince of Wales.

The King has been a dedicated supporter of environmental and climate causes for over five decades. His advocacy was prominently seen at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland last year when he attended as the Prince of Wales. At that event, he emphasized the importance of collaboration between countries and industries to combat the climate crisis.

While he did not attend COP27, King Charles III hosted a pre-COP reception at Buckingham Palace in London, gathering business leaders, experts, and NGOs. Instead of attending the talks, he embarked on his first state visits as monarch, visiting Germany and France.

It is worth mentioning that King Charles III played a significant role in supporting the 2015 Paris Climate Accord and even engaged in discussions with President Donald Trump in December 2019 to stress the accord's importance, as the US leader contemplated withdrawing from the agreement.