His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment is leading the UAE delegation to the 25 ^th Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC), running from December 2 to 13, 2019 in the Spanish capital, Madrid.

The UAE delegation comprises 87 members, including 46 representatives of public and private sectors, including the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Ministry of Energy and Industry, Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dubai Carbon Center of Excellence, National Center of Meteorology, Emirates Diplomatic Academy, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Majid Al Futtaim, as well as 41 youth delegates.

In line with their participation, delegates are highlighting the UAE’s climate action efforts to date, with specific emphasis on the deliverables of the National Climate Change Adaptation Program, which monitors climate trends and assesses their impacts on key sectors: energy, infrastructure, health, and the environment, in order to identify the climate risks that demand urgent action as well as the measures to counter them.

The UAE delegates are also presenting an overview of the Climate Change Law draft, which is expected to come into effect in 2020, while emphasizing the importance of involving the private sector and youth in the wider climate conversation.

His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi is participating in multiple events, including the Climate Adaptation Summit, the press conference to announce the launch of Regional Climate Weeks 2020, the Ministerial Roundtable for the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and the high-level Forum on Climate Finance Strategies for NDC Implementation.

In addition, he is scheduled to share insights on the UAE’s climate action efforts at a lecture at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and participate in a Ghaf tree planting ceremony at the city’s Royal Botanical Garden. 

COP25 paves the way for more ambitious climate commitments from members, ahead of the Paris Agreement’s entering into force in 2020.