UAE calls for progressive climate action at Bonn Climate Conference

A UAE delegation of climate diplomats have stated the case for progressive climate action as an enabler for global stability, low-carbon economic progress and inclusive prosperity at the Bonn Climate Change Conference for the 56th session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) subsidiary bodies from June 6-16.

At the conference, countries that are parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have begun discussions to reinvigorate momentum for climate action and set the stage for the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt this November.

The UAE delegation to Bonn is led by the Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and includes the participation of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority and youth representatives.

The Bonn Climate Change conference addresses implementation issues under the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement including transparency, mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology and capacity building. It also fosters dialogues on the latest findings of the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Chairman of Masdar, said: “The UAE is keen to advance progressive climate action at this important gathering leading up to COP27. In our approach to the COP process, we aim to convert pledges and promises into practical outcomes that will deliver sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The UAE is driving a net zero by 2050 strategic initiative as it is a low-carbon, high-growth economic model that will guide our sustainable development for the next 50 years. Making the right decisions and investments now will create diversified economic growth that fosters future-critical industries, knowledge and jobs.”

“With the two upcoming COPs being hosted in the Middle East and North Africa region, the UAE has committed to working closely with the Egypt’s COP27 Presidency to raise ambition for climate progress, close the emissions reduction gap and make measurable progress towards the Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement,” added Dr. Al Jaber.

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Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, said, “The UAE is committed to driving inclusive, robust, and effective collective climate action worldwide. In our quest to achieve net zero by mid-century, we are adopting a science-based approach to determine the impact of our sustainability measures on the carbon footprint. We are developing the National Strategy for Net Zero 2050 to inform our next steps, and have launched the National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA) that aims to engage all sectors in our decarbonization drive. Last month, we hosted the inaugural session of NDCA targeting the cement sector under the theme ‘Cementing a Decarbonised Future’. The meeting convened 83 stakeholders from the cement, waste, technology, and energy sectors.

“At the Bonn Climate Change Conference, we are joining the call to mobilise action and raise ambition to ensure a successful COP27. Climate change is the defining challenge of our era, and it is progressing exponentially. We need solidarity to move faster to flatten the climate curve and avert worst-case scenarios. The UAE is keen to share expertise, identify overlapping objectives, and explore areas of collaboration with like-minded nations that prioritise a development approach that is good for people and the planet. Together, we can build climate resilience capacities, boost green investments, and step up meaningful climate efforts.”

The UAE has long placed climate action at the centre of its economic growth and diversification strategy, while contributing innovative and practical solutions to one of the world’s greatest challenges. The UAE has demonstrated its commitment as the first country in the region to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement, and the first to commit to an economy-wide emissions reduction.

Just last year, the country launched the Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative which provides a roadmap for sustainable economic development through to the mid-century. At present, the UAE is working on updating its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) – a climate action plan to reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts – ahead of COP27 in line with the goals of the Glasgow pact.