Leading the fight against climate change

The United Arab Emirates strives to remain the most proactive country in the GCC on climate action. At COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, he was the first in the region to set a 2050 net-zero target and the first to announce absolute emissions reductions rather than a hypothetical business-as-usual baseline. company.

The results of the recent COP27 in Egypt have been quite disappointing, so hopes and expectations for COP28 later this year are even higher, and the need for results is heightened. Egypt’s scorecard shows no real progress in closing the ‘ambition gap’ and limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

No significant progress has been made in the last decade since COP26 in Glasgow reduced fossil fuel dependence and emissions. In this regard, the world’s major emitters have not made significant new commitments on climate mitigation. Some countries called for the COP27 final agreement to refer to “emissions peaking in 2025,” but this did not make it into the final document.

Commenting on this lack of progress, former COP26 President Alok Sharma expressed his frustration vehemently when he said: Not in this text. ”

No progress was made on gender either, with the topic barely included in the negotiations. The issue was highlighted by some commentators who noted that of his 110 world leaders who attended COP27, only seven were women.

What emerged at COP27 was that developed countries would pay their share, mostly in the form of reparations, to cover the costs faced by developing countries, although there is no firm consensus or concrete action plan yet. There is a growing demand for at risk from the effects of climate change. This is clearly a highly controversial issue and could be the main theme of the UAE this year.

take the lead

The United Arab Emirates is taking its role as host of the next UN climate conference seriously, with over 1,000 delegates registered for COP 27. This is her second largest in the history of climate summits. COP28 is estimated to be attended by more than 80,000 of his delegates, including 140 heads of state and government, and covered by more than 5,000 media professionals.

There is no better place to host COP28 than Expo City Dubai, with a site built and operated (and audited) to the most sustainable and up-to-date principles.

More broadly, the UAE can point to significant actions, investments and progress in its own approach to managing and mitigating climate change.

• Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate Change – a proposal submitted by the UAE and the US at COP 26. The aim of the proposal was to generate huge investments in climate-smart agriculture and food systems over the next five years. The agricultural sector employs about 5 billion people worldwide and the UAE has pledged another $1 billion to this project.
• The United Arab Emirates is one of the lowest methane emitters and is part of the Global Methane Pledge. The United Arab Emirates’ hydrocarbon industry has the lowest methane intensity in the world at 0.01%. The country also aims to reduce methane emissions by 30% by the end of 2023.
• The United Arab Emirates aims to plant 100 million new mangrove trees by the end of the 2010s as part of a nationally determined contribution. This was adopted from the Paris Agreement.
• The UAE government is also taking massive steps to maximize renewable energy sources at home. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum facility in Dubai is the world’s largest single-site solar park, growing from 7% of the electricity mix in 2020 to 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050. contributes to his DEWA goal of transitioning renewable power to In Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi’s new Shams 1 development will become the world’s largest carbon sequestration project site.

Add major initiatives such as the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi. The Department of Energy and Infrastructure’s blueprint, the Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap, contains comprehensive steps to establish the country as a major hydrogen exporter. And with the development of ADNOC’s Large Scale Carbon Capture Facility (CCUS), it is clear that the UAE is walk-the-walk in this area, which is vital to its credibility as a conference host.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber’s recent appointments are UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technologies, UAE Special Envoy on Climate Change, ADNOC MD and Group CEO, Founder and current Chairman of Masdar, The COP28 president-elect has also sent a very clear message that progress needs people like ADNOC to lead and center and drive solutions.

It is also worth remembering that while the UAE has much to gain from the honor and attention of hosting COP28 this year, it also faces immense pressure. A 1.5°C increase is the global average target, but the impact on the region could reach 4°C, making much of the Middle East uninhabitable and giving the UAE a very important motivation for the success of COP28. and elevate it to an existential point. .

The writer is Investment, Project Manager for OCO Global Middle East.

READ: COP28 United Arab Emirates: Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber Named President-Elect