Carbon Reduction Roadmap… UAE achieves Climate Milestones at COP28
The UAE has launched a roadmap for carbon reduction in the industrial sector that includes all manufacturing areas, with a focus on industries facing challenges in reducing emissions. such as cement, iron and steel, and aluminum. This strategic direction solidifies the country’s position and commitment to addressing climate change challenges .and achieving national sustainability goals.
“COP28” achieves its first milestone with the approval of delegations for the Loss Fund
As part of hosting the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). the UAE has prepared the roadmap in coordination and collaboration with its strategic partners in both the government and private sectors. This aligns with national efforts to achieve the targets of the UAE’s Strategic Climate Neutrality Initiative by 2050 and commitment to updating the nationally determined contributions report under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The initiative aims to contribute to sustainable economic development. as reported by the official news agency WAM.
Sara bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and General Education, stated. “Over the past three decades. thanks to the wise vision of our leadership, the UAE has presented a global model in climate action at the regional. and international levels. The UAE was at the forefront of countries in the region to sign the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 .and the first country to announce a strategic initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Today, through COP28, our efforts continue by launching a comprehensive national path to gradually and phased carbon reduction. aiming for climate neutrality across all sectors.”
The minister added, “In line with the UAE’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, and the ministry’s plans to stimulate sustainable industrial growth. supporting the competitiveness of UAE industries regionally and internationally. and attracting new industrial investments, the roadmap’s launch is the result of effort and integration between the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and its strategic partners. Through a nationwide industrial sector case study. we have envisioned strategies to encourage the adoption of sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies and processes.”
Al Amiri continued, “The development and adoption of advanced technology and innovative solutions will be the main focus of the roadmap’s working mechanism to ensure effective carbon reduction throughout the entire national industrial sector gradually. reaching a 93% reduction by 2050. This includes several key paths, such as identifying challenges. addressing them, and developing and adopting the latest technological and innovative solutions that support overall emissions and carbon reduction in particular. while simultaneously enhancing the competitiveness, growth. and development of the national industrial sector over the timeframe leading up to 2050. aligning with the UAE’s directions towards achieving climate neutrality.”
The roadmap includes three timeframes to achieve increasing levels of carbon reduction, including a 5% reduction in emissions by 2030. Through further deployment of modern and advanced technology and promoting technological transformation in the sector. the percentage will reach 63% by 2040. With the evolution and availability of technologies and tools and a reduction in their costs. in harmony with plans to enhance their use in the industrial sector. the expected reduction percentage will reach 93% by 2050.
The roadmap adopts several key solutions, including clean energy solutions, carbon capture and storage, and improving manufacturing efficiency. Employing these solutions alone will contribute to achieving carbon reduction rates of up to 70% by 2050. with the remaining reduction achieved through the deployment of various other solutions and technologies.
The working mechanism defined by .the roadmap is expected to achieve a reduction of 90 million tons of carbon annually and 2.9 gigatons cumulatively by 2050. Expanding the adoption .and deployment of clean energy solutions will contribute to achieving 41% of the targeted carbon reduction by 2050.
In a related context, the President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan. praised the results of COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. especially with the activation of the Loss and Damage Fund. He pointed out that Seychelles. which does not produce any emissions. is suffering under the impact of climate change.
The President of Seychelles. an island nation in Africa consisting of several islands in the Indian Ocean, reviewed the situation in his country regarding climate change.
He said, “We are talking about beaches, mountains, sun, wind, and sand because we are islands suffering from climate change. Unfortunately, what we are going through now has nothing to do with us; emissions are zero percent.” referring to various phenomena associated with climate change such as rising sea levels.
It is worth noting that the number of registered participants in COP28 reached a record number of 86,000. prompting many presidents, leaders. and officials to commend the increasing global participation in climate talks at the conference.
