Sask. premier says he's satisfied with 'direct engagement' at COP28 conference

Premier Scott Moe says the first few days at the COP28 conference in Dubai has gone well. He and other business delegates have been at the Sask. pavilion since it opened.

Speaking to the media virtually from Dubai, Moe explained the pavilion offers the chance for various companies and industries to have open dialogue and it’s been encouraging so far.

“It’s this pavilion that is providing us that opportunity for direct engagement with whoever may arrive here,” Moe said. “I think some great engagement due to our door being open and you know really engaging beyond the borders of our province.”

The premier said he was pleased to see 24 countries agree to increase the nuclear power footprint across the globe, which ultimately, benefits uranium mining in Northern Sask.

“That’s moving from four hundred nuclear reactors, zero carbon nuclear reactors today to likely a 1,000 to 1,200 nuclear reactors in the future.”

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A highlight of the pavilion so far, according to Moe, was a panel discussion between him, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, former British Columbia premier Christy Clark and former Quebec premier Jean Charest.

“I’m glad to hear that former premiers of Quebec and British Columbia are making hay at the pavilion paid for by the taxpayers of Saskatchewan,” said Aleana Young, opposition critic for trade and export development.

The pavilion came at a cost of $765,000 with another $238,000 spent in ad campaigns.

“For a government who has said loud and clear, ‘I don’t care when it comes to climate change’ to then spend that million dollars [and] counting to go the United Nations climate change conference in one of the most expensive cities in the world is more than mildly outrageous,” Young added.

The COP28 conference runs until Dec. 12.