UAE minister recalls US Biden’s passion for climate change cause

Abu Dhabi - Biden had visited the UAE in 2016, when he was US Vice-president.

By Ashwani Kumar

Published: Wed 20 Jan 2021, 3:42 PM

US President-elect Joe Biden, whose inauguration ceremony will be held in Washington DC later on Wednesday, is focused on tackling the climate crisis, recalled Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister for Industry and Advanced Technology.

Dr Al Jaber recollected the then US Vice-president Biden’s two-day visit to the UAE in 2016.

He said: “I remember that visit by the US President-elect Biden so well. It feels like it happened only a few days ago. I remember how important sustainable development and sustainability was to him. I recollect how engaging he was and the type of questions he was asking. It’s clear how much focus he intends to give to climate change as part of his agenda after he assumes office as US President.”

Dr Al Jaber, Special Envoy for Climate Change and Chairman of Masdar, recalled Biden's tour of Masdar City, a planned city in Abu Dhabi and a model for sustainable development.

Later, Dr Al Jaber had briefed Biden about the UAE’s pivotal role in climate change.

“I was very honoured to have had the opportunity to share with him how we approach these issues in the UAE. I was also very pleased to have the opportunity to give him first-hand examples of what we’re doing at Masdar and the many other initiatives in the UAE,” Dr Al Jaber said during the Global Energy Forum of the Atlantic Council held as part of the ongoing Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, which end on Thursday (January 21).

Biden has vowed to address the climate emergency. It's widely expected that the US will rejoin the 2015 Paris climate agreement after Biden is inaugurated as the US President.

Biden is slated to overturn the decision taken by his predecessor Donald Trump.