UAE focuses on practical solutions to climate change, says Dr Sultan Al Jaber

Cop27 begins in Sharm El SheikhEgypt, on Sunday, all eyes are on action on climate change.

speech before the event, Dr. Sultan Al JaberMinister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change and Chairman Masdar UAE participates in Cop27 Nearly 200 participating countries will be engaged to understand their aspirations and contribute to the global dialogue for stronger climate change solutions and implementation.

This UAE to host Cop28 next year.

Climate action is an opportunity to diversify the economy by creating new economies, says Dr Al Jaber Growth areas for clean energy and new jobs in the future.

The UAE Climate Conference will focus on building a close partnership with Egypt, especially on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and looks forward to linking the outcomes of Cop27 and Cop28.

in the Q&A below Nationwide, Dr. Al Jaber lists some of the UAE’s top priorities

What are the UAE’s main goals at Cop27?

The main goal is to provide practical solutions to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, accelerating low carbon economic growth And create sustainable economic and social development opportunities in all countries, including the Global South.

Our goal is to highlight UAE’s decades-long record in climate diplomacy And to develop practical climate solutions, especially in developing and fragile states.

We also want to build capacity and improve collaboration ahead of Cop28, with the goal of identifying practical, inclusive and ambitious pathways for climate action that will benefit billions of people around the world.

The UAE has a long history of dealing with this issue. Can you explain the country’s contribution to climate action?

We were the first in the MENA region to pass and sign Paris Agreementand the first promise Net zero by 2050.

UAE is now home to three of the world’s largest and cheapest countries solar power plantwe are the first company in the MENA region to invest in industrial-scale carbon capture, use and storage.

We also set a new record for the most cost-competitive wind power generation in the UAE and internationally. In addition, we are the first country in the region to peacefully deploy nuclear power. We are the first to explore clean alternatives such as green hydrogen.

We achieved the lowest methane intensity in the energy sector 20 years before the global commitment to gradually reduce methane emissions.

In September, the UAE updated its second Nationally Determined Contribution, aiming to reduce our carbon emissions by almost a third (31%) by 2030.

We work with all global stakeholders to drive climate action because we believe climate change requires pragmatic and inclusive solutions.

Today, the UAE is one of the largest investors in renewable energy projects in the world, having invested $50 billion in renewable energy projects in more than 70 countries, including 31 of the island developing countries most vulnerable to climate change .

We also committed to investing an additional $50 billion in several countries over the next decade to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Recently, we signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with U.S. to Accelerate Transitionadvancing common climate goals and enhancing global energy security.

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UAE and US sign partnership to invest US$100 billion in clean energy projects – picture

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The UAE-US Accelerating Clean Energy Partnership aims to raise $100 billion in financing and other support, in addition to deploying 100 GW of new clean energy by 2035 in the US, UAE and emerging economies around the world.

Earlier this year, the UAE launched Etihad 7, which aims to finance renewable energy projects in Africa with the goal of providing 100 million people with clean electricity by 2035.

We have set a goal of planting 100 million mangroves by 2030, an initiative led by the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency to combat climate change, protect biodiversity and promote natural carbon sinks.

We also strongly support the 30×30 biodiversity target of protecting 30% of the oceans and 30% of the land by 2030, as well as nature-based solutions to the interconnected climate and biodiversity crises.

How important is the need to maximize energy and minimize emissions?

Our world is becoming home to 9.5 billion people. To meet their needs, we will have to produce 30% more energy than we do today.

If the basic energy needs of billions of people around the world are not met, the economy will slow significantly, affecting the resources needed for the energy transition and climate action.

While meeting energy needs through the infrastructure and capital assets the world currently relies on, we must focus on reducing emissions and accelerating investment in new clean energy systems.

For that, the world needs all the solutions it can get.It is not hydrocarbons Or solar power, not wind, nuclear or hydrogen.

To sum up, there are clean energy sources that have yet to be discovered, commercialized, and deployed. In short, the world needs maximum energy and minimum emissions.

This is the approach we take in the UAE.We are pioneers with proactive and global priority initiatives Reduce methane intensity and emissions.

We believe that the energy transition will not happen overnight, but it can be achieved if we are pragmatic, pragmatic and focused on business.

We should keep in mind that the solutions the world needs are also great opportunities for the global economy.

When we meet these needs, we’ll help power the nearly 800 million people who don’t have access to electricity today.

We will help improve the lives of 2.6 billion people who lack access to clean cooking and heating fuels.

How will Masdar support the UAE’s strategic net zero emissions by 2050?

When Masdar launched in 2006, many said the company was ahead of its time.

Today it is seen as Pioneers in Driving the Clean Energy Transition And is a key enabler of the UAE’s vision to be a global leader in sustainable development and climate action.

We believe that access to clean technology and climate solutions is critical and that we must deploy them at scale, a strategy the UAE has been actively pursuing for over a decade.

Masdar’s projects are invested in more than 40 countries with a combined value of more than $20 billion, generating more than 15GW of clean electricity, displacing nearly 19.5 million tons per year.

Across Africa, Masdar and his partners are empowering local communities, developing more than 1GW of clean energy projects capable of powering more than 845,000 homes in Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania and the Seychelles.

Masdar has been exploring hydrogen production for more than a decade and supports Abu Dhabi’s ambition to become a global hub for green hydrogen.

It plans to increase its green hydrogen capacity to 1 metric ton by 2030. Earlier this year, the company signed an agreement to develop a 4GW-capacity green hydrogen plant in Egypt by 2030.

Masdar Clean Energy Project – Image

How is the agriclimate innovation mission, launched at Cop26 in Glasgow, going?

The initiative focuses on transforming food systems and enhancing the climate resilience of the agricultural sector by promoting investment in innovation.

It also seeks to protect the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers around the world who are at the forefront of climate change.

This $4 billion announced by the Cop26 initiative Indicates the commitment of national partners to increase investment between 2021 and 2025.

The UAE has committed $1 billion to climate-smart agriculture and food system innovation by multiple governments.

The UAE is in an arid and water-stressed region, but innovation and technology allow us to turn deserts into farms.

An important example is Bustanica, the world’s largest vertical farm operated by the UAE group, producing more than 1,000 tonnes of leafy greens annually, while Al Ain’s farm is now producing blueberries and strawberries.

How are the plans for Cop28 going in 2023?

Our priority at Cop27 is to work with the Egyptian President and participating countries to find solutions to climate change.

as we prepare to host COP28it is important to understand the priorities of all countries.

The UAE Climate Conference will be the landmark first-ever global stocktaking that will allow the international community to assess progress, increase ambition and scale up action to meet the commitments the world has made.

This will be an important outcome of the conference as we move towards making Cop28 an inclusive and solutions-oriented climate summit.

We will focus on accelerating progress on all fronts, including adaptation, loss and damage. We will also advocate for significant progress in climate finance in developing countries; all countries must have access to the resources they need to transition to clean energy, adapt to climate impacts and accelerate sustainable economic development.

The UAE is ideally positioned to build bridges to get the world where we need to be. Cop28 is a pivotal moment and the UAE takes our responsibility very seriously to bring the international community together on Cop28.

The UAE has always been a trading nation at the crossroads of the world and we have no country left behind. We will bring together people from government, academia, civil society and all walks of life to advance climate progress.

We are also strongly committed to making Cop28 a positive platform for women, youth and Indigenous peoples and will work to find solutions to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.

Furthermore, we aim to facilitate pragmatic, realistic and practical solutions for the energy transition. This includes shifting to clean and renewable energy, while decarbonizing existing resources and investing in innovation.

Sharm El Sheikh prepares for Cop27 – pics

Updated: November 6, 2022 4:41 am