UAE, India share 'strong sense of responsibility' to environment

Calicut - 'Climate change a living nightmare faced by every country and region in the world today'

Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, has highlighted the strong bilateral ties between the UAE and India that extend beyond economic synergies at Kerala Literature Festival 2020.
In a keynote address, he said that the UAE and India enjoy robust and long-standing bilateral trade relations. "The volume of trade between our two countries was valued at $180 million annually in the 1970s, and today accounts for $60 billion, making India the second-largest trading partner of the UAE, while the UAE is India's third-largest trading partner after China and the United States."
He added: "While trade often defines bilateral relations among nations, India and the UAE share so much more than just economic synergies. Strong cultural and people-to-people ties unite our countries, as do our shared values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. More than 3.3 million Indians call the UAE their home away from home."
Dr Al Zeyoudi said: "Our two nations share a strong sense of responsibility to the environment. They are firm advocates of climate action and sustainability. India's renewable energy journey has been truly impressive, with the country pledging to generate 40 per cent of its power from carbon-free sources by 2030 as part of its commitment to the Paris Agreement.
"On the sidelines of the landmark COP 21, India and France joined hands to launch the International Solar Alliance, which the UAE is also part of. The alliance has since emerged as a credible platform for ensuring universal energy access and energy equity."
The minister went on to warn that "climate change is a living nightmare faced by every country and region in the world today. Some more than the others".
"It is a fight that every nation must overcome. However, to succeed in our mission, we need to actively involve everyone: governments, businesses, academia and the public. Climate change knows no boundaries and nor should our efforts in tackling it," he added.
The minister and Dr Ahmed Al Banna, the UAE Ambassador to India, toured Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences, an institution of the Government of Kerala dedicated to the conservation and research on aquatic plant diversity, that also disseminates knowledge on various aspects of plant sciences.
The minister also met Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala. The two ministers discussed the strong UAE-India ties and explored other areas of cooperation.
Recognising the role of the private sector in driving the green economy, the UAE minister also met representatives of leading private sector organisations.