The United Arab Emirates has delivered its national statement on climate change at the 21st session of the Conference of Parties, COP21, at the United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention, UNFCCC, in Paris, France, encouraging nations to protect future generations from the impacts of climate change and stressing the economic and social benefits of climate action.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Change  said this year we have seen an unprecedented display of climate action by countries all around the world, with more than 185 nations submitting climate action plans ahead of COP21, this proves that all countries are taking action to address climate change and the Paris agreement must build on these actions.During his remarks, Dr. Al Jaber outlined the UAE?s vision for a meaningful climate agreement, saying, the world needs a flexible system, one which allows all countries to develop climate actions in line with their national priorities and circumstances. It should provide the appropriate support to developing countries, including the fulfillment of funding commitments made by developed countries to help nations with limited means to cope with impacts of climate change. He highlighted the UAE?s position as a global leader in climate action and reiterated the country?s efforts to diversify its economy through new technologies and partnerships.The UAE?s climate action plan demonstrates that innovative action can drive economic opportunity as well as secure a safer climate.

Examples include Masdar?s 100 MW Shams 1 concentrated solar power plant and the 5000 MW Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park as well as the Middle East?s first commercial-scale carbon capture, use and storage project. The UAE is also making significant investments in renewable energy abroad, such as the 630 MW London Array wind farm, the world?s largest off-shore wind farm, as well as supporting over 30 renewable energy projects in 28 developing countries totaling 840 million US Dollars to date.

Supporting these efforts are two clean energy partnerships the UAE joined during COP 21, including Mission Innovation, a commitment by over 20 countries to double its investments in clean energy research and development within five years, and the International Solar Alliance, a coalition to advance new solar technologies. These announcements reinforce the UAE?s transition to a knowledge-based economy and support the UAE?s goal to raise its national share of clean energy to 24 percent by 2021, from less than one percent today.

The initiatives also underline the UAE?s role as a key global partner in addressing the impacts of climate change, both within and outside of the UNFCCC negotiation process, including hosting of the Abu Dhabi Ascent in support of the UN Climate Summit, a key milestone in the lead up to COP 21.The UAE is fully committed to the UNFCCC negotiation process and to an outcome of an agreement that is robust, flexible and inclusive of all parties to ensure continued progress in tackling climate change and moving the world forward in the right direction.The UAE Minister of State stressed the importance of political consensus, noting that COP21 will set the stage for turning political agreements into practical solutions. Dr. Al Jaber extended an invitation to the audience to attend Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2016, an annual event gathering public and private sector leaders, as a platform to enhance climate action following COP21.

The United Arab Emirates has submitted its carbon reduction plan at the COP 21 Paris climate conference.The plan, called an Intended Nationally-Determined Contributions (INDC), was submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) alongside 119 others submitted from 145 countries attending the summit.The INDCs are suggesting ways to limit global warming by the year 2100 to an increase of less than 2 degrees Celsius.Some studies suggest earth?s temperature has risen by one degree this year, the warmest on record.The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy as well as Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said they are increasing renewable energy targets, better managing energy demand, and further reducing the carbon footprint.To close the gap and limit global temperature increases to at most 2? by 2100, it is essential that a new universal climate agreement be adopted by governments at COP 21, said the officials.

Carbon Abatement Strategy is the first of its kind in the region. It supports the UAE Vision 2021 to transform the UAE into one of the best countries in the world by 2021. It also supports the long-term National Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative to enhance the competitiveness and economic sustainability of the UAE. It will make the country a global role model of sustainability and green initiatives said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, vice-chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and MD & CEO of DEWA.Companies can now determine how many emissions to cut to support the global goal of avoiding the 2? increase in the Earth?s temperature. This is achieved using methods based on the latest scientific climatic knowledge.

https://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395288974521.html

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http://uae.shafaqna.com/EN/AE/33991

http://climate-l.iisd.org/events/unfccc-cop-21/