UAE NET ZERO BY 2050 A Gulf News Sponsored Report in collaboration with Red Door Productions
Race to a clean, green and sustainable future Initiatives and projects undertaken by the UAE as part of its Net Zero by 2050 initiative to achieve net-zero emissions, also offer a rich template to nations of the world on achieving their respective net zero targets
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he official portal of the UAE Government succinctly describes the vision and mission of the nation’s UAE Net Zero by 2050 initiative. A national drive to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the UAE Net Zero by 2050 initiative will also make the UAE the first Middle East and North Africa (MENA) nation to achieve such a goal. The initiative aligns with the UAE’s roadmap for accelerating national economic development to mark the country’s golden jubilee year as the nation launches into a new 50-year growth cycle. Called Principles of the 50, the major economic opportunities offered by the path to net zero directly support a vision to develop the UAE into the world’s most dynamic economy. GLOBAL ALIGNMENT The UAE Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative also directly aligns with the Paris Agreement, which calls on countries to prepare long-term strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It also looks at limiting
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the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels. However, while the Paris Agreement attempts to uphold its vision to ensure global temperatures stay within 2°C by 2100, and preferably closer to 1.5°C, the UN Emissions Gap Report 2020 presents a more dire
picture. The report forecasts that “...despite a brief dip in carbon dioxide emissions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the world is still heading for a temperature rise in excess of 3°C this century – far beyond the Paris Agreement goals of limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C.”
Be that as it may, the grim realities only made the nations of the world more resolute in coming together and cohesively trying to find a solution to the issue. By 2020 more than 110 countries had in fact committed to a net zero emissions target by 2050, and China, the largest emitter, by 2060. Carbon neutrality
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means some emissions are still being generated but will be offset somewhere else, concluding in net zero emissions. Closer to home, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has taken the lead to coordinate efforts and execute the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative, ensuring collaboration at a national level to fulfil this objective. UAE INITIATIVES Stakeholders in key sectors in the UAE such as energy, economy, industry, infrastructure, transport, waste, agriculture, and the environment, will update relevant plans, strategies, and policies, and implement initiatives and projects to achieve net zero by 2050 in line with their needs and growth requirements. Both federal and local government authorities will also be responsible for preparing comprehensive studies and developing plans to introduce measures necessary to reduce emissions while also ensuring economic growth based on sustainability principles. For instance, the deployment and use of clean energy solutions is one of the main pillars of the UAE’s model of addressing the challenge of climate change and reducing GHG emissions. The UAE began financing clean energy projects more than 15 years ago, and has invested more than $40 billion in the sector. Current trends predict the production capacity of clean energy, including solar and nuclear, to reach 14GW by 2030, up from about 100MW in 2015 and 2.4GW in 2020. NEED OF THE HOUR Energy innovations over the past two decades have offered a
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023 to set agenda for inclusive climate action Under the theme, United on Climate Action Towards COP28, ADSW 2023 will demonstrate the commitment to practical, inclusive climate action by the UAE leadership
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bu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2023, the global initiative championed by the UAE and its clean energy powerhouse, Masdar to accelerate sustainable development, will feature a series of high-level sessions focused on the key priorities for sustainable development ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), to be held in the UAE from November 30 to December 12. The event is being held under the patronage of the UAE President His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan who has championed sustainability as a key pillar of the UAE’s economic and social progress and prosperity. ADSW, which started on January 14 and runs till January 19, under the theme of United on Climate Action Towards COP28, convenes heads of state, policymakers, industry leaders, investors, youth, and entrepreneurs, for a series of impactful dialogues on the transition to a net-zero future. Key stakeholders will discuss priorities for the global climate agenda at COP28, the need for all stakeholders across society to be engaged and included, and how to leverage the assessments from the first
Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement to accelerate climate progress at COP28 and beyond. Dr Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and Group CEO of Adnoc, and Chairman of Masdar, says, “For over 15 years, ADSW has reinforced the UAE’s commitment to addressing global challenges as a responsible leader driving climate action and sustainable economic development. ADSW 2023 will help shape the sustainability agenda and drive momentum toward COP28 in the UAE by convening the global community and facilitating meaningful dialogue to foster consensus, groundbreaking partnerships and innovative solutions. “The world needs a just and inclusive energy transition that supports the needs of developing nations while ensuring a more sustainable future for us all. “ADSW can serve as an ideal platform to accelerate the adoption of clean technologies and put partnerships together that can take them to scale around the world, leaving no one behind.” ADSW 2023 will feature for the first time a Green Hydrogen Summit, hosted
by Masdar’s green hydrogen business, highlighting its potential to decarbonise key industries — helping countries to achieve their net-zero objectives. Last year, Masdar formally announced a new shareholding structure and the launch of its green hydrogen business — forming a clean energy powerhouse that will spearhead global decarbonisation efforts. Masdar is now one of the largest clean energy companies of its kind and is well-positioned to lead the industry on a global scale, strengthening the UAE’s role as an energy leader.
The first international sustainability gathering of the year, ADSW 2023 drives discussion and debate around climate action in the run-up to COP28. The ADSW Summit, hosted by Masdar and taking place on January 16-17, will focus on a range of critical topics including Food and Water Security, Energy Access, Industrial Decarbonisation, Health, and Climate Adaptation. ADSW 2023 also seeks to engage youth in climate action, with its Youth for Sustainability platform holding the Y4S Hub, which aims to attract 3,000 young people. ADSW 2023 will also
UAE: UNITING THE WORLD For the UAE, the mission to net zero is not limited to its own geographical boundaries, it encompasses the world. The UAE supports green infrastructure and clean energy projects worldwide, and has invested in renewable energy ventures worth around $16.8 billion in 70 countries with a focus on developing nations. It has also provided more than $400 million in aid and soft loans for clean energy projects globally. The initiatives, while providing support also offer a template to other nations on how reaching out and supporting each other could help achieve a common goal that is beneficial to the world.
feature the annual forum for Masdar’s Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) platform, giving women a greater voice in the sustainability debate. As in previous years, ADSW 2023 also features partner-led events and opportunities for international engagement on sustainability-related topics, including the International Renewable Energy Agency’s IRENA Assembly, the Atlantic Council Energy Forum, the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, and the World Future Energy Summit. The 2023 ADSW also marks the 15th anniversary of the Zayed Sustainability Prize — the UAE’s pioneering global award for recognising excellence in sustainability. With 96 winners across its categories of Health, Food, Energy, Water, and Global High Schools, the Prize has positively impacted the lives of over 378 million people around the world, including in Vietnam, Nepal, Sudan, Ethiopia, Maldives and Tuvalu. Over the years, the prize has provided communities across the world with access to quality education, clean food and water, quality healthcare, energy, jobs, and improved community safety. With small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) making up roughly 90 per cent of businesses worldwide, ADSW 2023 will welcome over 70 SMEs and start-ups across several sectors, including Masdar City’s global initiative Innovate, which will showcase groundbreaking international technologies. To learn more about Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and to register visit https://abudhabisustainabilityweek.com/
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Participants and the audience seen at a previous edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
window of opportunity for nations and their citizens to preserve the world, offsetting the harm that could be done by continuing to use fossil fuels, which according to a study conducted by National Geographic supplies 80 per cent of the world’s energy. Therefore understanding one’s carbon footprints allows each and every individual to help in start reducing emissions. Monitoring one’s carbon dioxide emissions in real-time and accurately offsetting remaining emissions is key. Given that an increasing number of nations have committed to net zero targets, it’s anticipated that demand for carbon accounting software will grow exponentially. Carbon management software provides companies with the ability to monitor their emissions, helps with reducing emissions in real-time and offers to offset remaining emissions. Such tools are essential for businesses to fight climate change.
January 14–15 IRENA Assembly, Atlantic Council Energy Forum January 16 Opening Ceremony, COP28 Strategy Announcement and Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, ADSW Summit January 16–18 World Future Energy Summit, Youth 4 Sustainability Hub, Innovate January 17 WiSER Forum January 18 Green Hydrogen Summit and Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum