Pope Francis will travel to Dubai for three days during the Cop28 climate conference, he has told Italian television.
The pontiff said he would depart on December 1 and stay until December 3.
No further details of his trip were disclosed, nor any appearances at the conference.
Pope Francis made the announcement during an interview on channel RAI on Wednesday.
"We are still in time to stop it," Francis said, speaking of global warming. "Our future is at stake, the future of our children and our grandchildren. A bit of responsibility is needed."
The trip comes about two weeks before his 87th birthday.
When asked about his health – after setbacks that included abdominal surgery to repair a hernia and remove intestinal scarring a few months ago – he said: “I'm alive.”
The pope has made the need for urgent care for the environment a hallmark priority of his papacy.
Last month, Pope Francis urged participants in Cop28 talks to agree to binding policies to phase out fossil fuels.
The Pontiff said the world's transition to clean, renewable energy was not progressing fast enough.
But he said the key climate conference presented an opportunity for "a change of direction”, with real commitments to moving to clean energy sources such as wind and solar.
The Pope made the comments in an update to his influential 2015 encyclical – the highest form of papal writing – in which he spoke of the need to protect the environment, face the dangers and challenges of climate change and reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Cop28 President-designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber was received by Pope Francis at the Vatican in October.
They discussed the crucial role of faith leaders in advancing the climate agenda.
Dr Al Jaber thanked the Vatican for its climate action advocacy and invited Pope Francis to participate in the World Climate Action Summit at Cop28.
The international climate conference begins on November 30 and runs through to December 12.
The announcement of the Pope's attendance comes a day after King Charles III confirmed he would make an opening speech at the Cop28 climate summit.
The British monarch will address world leaders at the opening ceremony on December 1, and “take the opportunity to have meetings with regional leaders”, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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