UAE’s pioneering journey leading up to the Year of Sustainability

 

The declaration of 2023 as the UAE's Year of Sustainability by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was the culmination of the nation's significant efforts in sustainability and environmental preservation. It also marked a turning point in the advancement of COP28 and the driving force behind the world's efforts to support climate action.


Since the creation of the Union in the 1970s, the UAE has had an inspirational path in environmental protection, and it has put forth significant effort in climate action, starting with its signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1989. 

 The UAE ratified the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, a milestone in the achievement of the agreement's goals for tackling climate change and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.


Being the first country in the area to ratify the Paris Agreement and announce a climate neutrality policy plan, the UAE Net Zero by 2050, the UAE is a leader in advancing the sustainability agenda.


The nation also holds the view that only by coordinating international efforts can a global energy transition be accomplished.
Affirming the need to invest in clean energy solutions that can be used widely, the energy sector needs cutting-edge and economically viable ideas. 

With the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), an Emirati global leader in clean energy and sustainable development, 2006 marked a turning point in the nation's efforts to combat climate change.


Masdar has invested more than US$30 billion in foreign projects and is currently working in more than 40 nations across six continents.


Masdar's projects have a combined production capacity of more than 20 gigawatts (GW), which is more than enough to power 5.25 million homes and prevent over 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually—the equivalent of taking 6.5 million automobiles off the road. 

Three of the top energy firms in the United Arab Emirates are presently supporting Masdar as it enters a new era with ambitious and audacious goals.
These include the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Mubadala, and the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA). Through these partnerships, Masdar will be able to tap into the knowledge of its partners and elevate its status as a trailblazing international company in renewable energy and green hydrogen.


Masdar will support accelerating the pace of development under the UAE's new framework as it gets ready to host COP28.
Additionally, it will help the nation fulfil its promise to rank among the top global producers of green hydrogen and renewable energy. 

By 2030, Masdar wants to establish a portfolio of projects with a combined production capacity of more than 100 GW, and it intends to double that capacity over the next few years. The company also wants to produce 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen through its green hydrogen business by 2030.


The UAE's dedication to addressing global concerns was bolstered by Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023, which came to an end yesterday. It also boosted its innovative position in advancing climate action.


In order to make sustained progress in climate action, ADSW also assisted in facilitating effective discourse and turning commitments into real results toward a future free of carbon. 

More importantly, COP28 will be the most significant multilateral conference that the UAE will organise. The UAE will collaborate with other nations to assist pave the path to the 1.5°C temperature reduction objective.


In order to support affected communities by reducing the effects of climate change, assisting nations in their adaptation to it, and limiting losses and damage brought on by it, the UAE continues to increase its investments in the clean energy sector both locally and internationally. It does this by stepping up its collaborations with developed nations and broadening its global portfolio.