
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment will present a comprehensive plan at the annual summit, which will be held in Sharm el-Sheikh between November 6 and 18
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri. Photo: WAM
The UAE’s journey in climate action began three decades ago, when it joined the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and will reach new heights next year when the country hosts the 28th Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP28). The event will include the first global stocktaking of countries’ progress in implementing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement signed in November 2016.
For more than 30 years, thanks to the vision and directives of the wise leadership, the UAE has achieved three milestones that confirm the voluntary commitment to protect the planet and raise the climate ambition to ensure the a better, more sustainable future.
The UAE submitted its first NDC to the UNFCCC Secretariat in 2016 after signing the Paris Agreement as the first country in the region. In its second NDC of 2020, the UAE pledged to improve the share of clean energy in the domestic energy mix, raised the emission reduction target and set a goal to plant mangroves with the aim of offsetting emissions.
In September 2022, the country voluntarily updated its second NDC to raise emission reduction targets in the energy and industry sectors, upgrade the waste management system by reducing and treating waste and making it a clean source of energy, and raising the environmental base. carbon sequestration solutions.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) is finalizing the third NDC, which will be submitted early next year.
As part of the UAE delegation to COP27, which will be held between November 6 and 18 in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, MOCCAE will present the leading climate action model that includes plans, strategies, projects, initiatives, programs and guides. aimed at promoting research and development (R&D), using new solutions and modern technology to accelerate the clean energy transition, transition to a green economy and drive sustainable development.
The first NDC
The UAE’s first NDC includes achieving a 24 percent share of clean energy in the domestic energy mix by 2021, increasing reliance on modern technologies that improve energy efficiency and reduce the resulting emissions, and decarbonisation of key sectors.
The UAE is also committed to cutting electricity and water consumption in buildings by adopting green building standards, expanding district cooling systems, and switching to energy-saving lighting. In addition, it promises to develop an environment-friendly public transportation system, starting a wide-scale conversion of conventional motor vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG) with a focus on taxis, buses , government vehicles and commercial vehicles, adopting sustainable waste management. methods and enhancing efforts to conserve the blue carbon ecosystem that plays an important role in CO2 sequestration.
The second NDC
The UAE’s second NDC includes boosting emission reduction, increasing reliance on clean energy, expanding carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and blue carbon projects, and adopting sustainable agriculture and waste management systems. through integrated climate change mitigation and adaptation plans.
The country has raised its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target by 23.5 percent compared to business as usual by the year 2030, which translates into an absolute emission reduction of nearly 70 million tons. This goal reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to the Paris Agreement as the best option to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Many national initiatives and projects support the NDC by deploying the latest green technology, increasing the use of renewable energy solutions and planting thousands of trees.
Climate change mitigation
In terms of mitigating climate change, the UAE has committed to increasing its clean energy capacity to 14 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, compared to only 100 megawatts (MW) in 2015 and 2.4 GW by 2020. Currently, the total investment in domestic clean energy projects has reached $40 (Dh146.92) billion.
The country has pledged to continue reducing emissions in the main economic sectors (energy, transport, industry, services, agriculture and waste). In this context, it established the first commercial-scale CCUS network in the region, advancing the deployment of a technology critical for carbon abatement and climate change mitigation.
Adapting to climate change
To improve its climate change adaptation capabilities, the UAE has committed to expanding its blue carbon ecosystem by planting 30 million mangrove seedlings by 2030. The country has also pledged to adopt a climate-smart approach. in agriculture, increasing efforts to reduce food waste, and promoting sustainable production and consumption patterns.
Updated the second NDC
The updated version of the UAE’s second NDC increased its emission reduction target to 31 percent compared to the business-as-usual scenario for the year 2030 which predicts 301 million tons of CO2 equivalent. The new target represents a reduction of 93.2 million tons of CO2 equivalent.
The update responds to the call of the Glasgow Climate Pact, one of the most important outcomes of COP26, for countries to raise their climate ambition by the end of 2022 to improve their capabilities to combat climate change .
The electricity sector is seen as the highest contributor to the target at 66.4 percent, followed by the industrial sector at 16.6 percent, transportation at 9.7 percent, CCUS at 5.3 percent and waste at 2.1 percent.
The NDC is supported by previously announced climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, which include conserving the blue carbon ecosystem with an additional target of planting 100 million mangrove seedlings by 2030.
Enhancing private sector participation
To enhance the contribution of the private sector in achieving the targets of the updated second NDC, MOCCAE launched the National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA). The series of industry-specific assemblies provides a national platform for raising climate ambitions and supporting emission reductions in key sectors, such as industry, cement, waste, transport and energy. It also seeks to develop a national sustainability perspective and support the UAE Net Zero in 2050 Strategic Initiative.
In addition, the ministry introduced the Climate-Responsible Companies Pledge to promote the participation of private sector entities in the country’s emission reduction efforts. The signatories commit to measuring and reporting their GHG emissions in a transparent manner, drafting ambitious plans to reduce their carbon footprints, and sharing these plans with relevant government agencies to accelerate the journey. of the country to net zero.
The enablers
The NDCs identify key drivers of climate action and building resilience to climate change in all sectors. This includes transitioning to a green economy, adopting circular economy principles and promoting the use of the latest technologies to ensure sustainability.
The UAE welcomes international cooperation in the deployment and financing of clean energy solutions locally and globally. The country has invested nearly $16.8 (Dh61.71) billion in renewable projects in 70 countries, and provided more than $400 (Dh1,469.20) million in aid and soft loans for clean energy businesses in whole world.
Lots of numbers
Dh61.71b – UAE investments in renewable projects in 70 countries
Dh1,469.20m – Aid and soft loans provided for clean energy businesses around the world
Dh146.92b – Total investment in domestic clean energy projects
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