Sheikh Mohamed Reaffirms UAE's Commitment To Climate Action In Virtual US Forum

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan highlighted the link between sustainable economic development and climate action and their roles in providing an enhanced quality of life for all. In his remarks during a virtual meeting of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate Change on Thursday, the UAE President discussed how the UAE strikes the balance between climate action and sustainable economic and social growth in giving Emiratis and future generations a better life.

"The UAE was the first Gulf country to ratify the Paris Agreement and the first in the region to commit to reducing emissions in all economic sectors by the year 2030. It has also announced its strategic initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. We have invested over US$150 billion in climate action and have ambitious plans for further investments in this field in the future," he said.

Sheikh Mohamed also reiterated the COP28 UAE Presidency's commitment to working towards transformative climate action and creating a detailed action plan that would benefit both the people and the planet. He also emphasized the importance of understanding the link between energy and climate change, saying nations should boost their renewable energy production capacities to curb the negative impact of climate change.

"Energy and climate change are closely intertwined. And thus it is essential that the world accelerates its logistic, realistic, and balanced transition in the energy sector by increasing renewable energy production capacity by at least three times and doubling hydrogen production," he said, noting that it is also crucial to enhance international cooperation in the area of technology transfer and provide the necessary funding to support the energy transition.

The UAE leader stressed that while the risk of climate change had intensified over the years, the world could still prevent its dire consequences through "genuine determination for immediate and collective global action." As the host of this year's COP28, he reaffirmed that the UAE would make the climate event a venue toward achieving that goal.

Sheikh Mohamed made the remarks in a forum hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden and participated in by leaders and heads of government from key global economies. The U.S. invited the UAE to take part in the forum in light of its role as the host of COP28, which will be held at Expo City Dubai from Nov. 20 to Dec. 12.