On the sidelines of the 25^th Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, today participated in the High-Level Forum of the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) Convening Countries. The Netherlands government hosted the event under the theme ‘Raising Ambition Ahead of the 2020 Climate Adaptation Summit’.

Addressing the forum, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said: “We recognize the urgency of climate adaptation and acknowledge that it is our collective duty to help others, especially the most vulnerable communities of the world, achieve this objective. And while many countries have been working hard to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, the fact remains that global temperatures are still rising, and we are rapidly depleting our carbon budget to ensure they do not surge above 1.5°C.”

Speaking on the UAE’s approach to climate change adaptation, he said: “The changing weather patterns prompted the launch of our National Climate Change Adaptation Program in 2017 that aims to assess climate risks in four critical sectors: health, energy, infrastructure, and the environment. In addition, we are taking steps to enhance the monitoring of the impacts of climate change on the UAE, and working closely with academic and research institutions to understand them better. Nature-based solutions are also playing an important role in our adaptation measures. Through protecting our wetlands, mangrove areas, and coastal and marine ecosystems, we are maximizing their blue carbon potential.”

The Minister also attended the Efficient Cooling Initiative side event, organized by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, a voluntary cross-sectoral partnership committed to improving air quality and protecting the climate through reducing short-lived climate pollutants.

Given that temperatures in the UAE soar to over 45°C in the summer, and that cooling is one of the country’s most energy-intensive sectors, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi provided an overview of the UAE’s experience in the area. He said: “We have widely deployed district cooling systems in the UAE. District cooling can save energy consumption by 50 percent compared to conventional air conditioning, as well as prolong the lifetime and reduce the maintenance costs of cooling plants.”

He added: “Leading companies in the UAE have also introduced absorption chillers to cool buildings using waste heat. These are effective enablers of meeting the ambitious 40 percent energy efficiency improvement target by 2050, outlined in the UAE Energy Plan.”

His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi also attended the press conference announcing the launch of Regional Climate Weeks 2020. As the leading convener of global public and private sector actors on climate change, the UAE was selected to host the first Regional Climate Week in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during Expo 2020 Dubai. Dubbed MENA Climate Week, it will bring together governments, the private sector, and civil society from the region to discuss the serious threat of climate change and collaborate on swift, bold actions to address this challenge.

Applauding the development, he said: “Today’s announcement of MENA Climate Week in Dubai represents an environmental and economic milestone of international importance. It is also proof that the UAE has become a global platform for the transition to a green economy and a pioneering role model for other countries. Set to coincide with Expo 2020, MENA Climate Week in Dubai will offer a wealth of opportunities for collaboration and showcase groundbreaking new technologies that can help us adapt to climate change.”

His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi is leading the UAE delegation to COP25 that is running from December 2 to 13, 2019, in the Spanish capital, Madrid. The delegation comprises 87 members, including representatives of the public and private sectors as well as youth.