BAKU (WAM)
The UAE Pavilion at COP29 in Azerbaijan hosted a series of sessions highlighting the country's efforts to decarbonise high-emission sectors and advance the transition to a climate-neutral economy through fostering innovation and investment in sustainability and renewable energy sectors.
The sessions brought together thought leaders from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the Hydrogen Council, the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations, and New York University Abu Dhabi.
The first convening of the day introduced the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance (GEEA), born from the urgent need for a coordinated international effort to drive energy efficiency.
Eng. Sharif Alolama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure spoke of how the nation was proud to have developed the UAE Consensus. “It told the world how the global community is lacking in terms of what we need to achieve for targets and what is required to meet them.” It was explained how a global alliance could fill the gap, and that on average every $1 invested in energy efficiency returns $2 in savings. Combined efforts would make a significant environmental, economic and social impact. “Energy efficiency is not just a goal; it's the foundation of our sustainable future,” he concluded.
In opening remarks to the Accelerating Climate Action for Peace, Relief, and Recovery panel discussion, Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister for Energy & Sustainability at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted how “the chess pieces are falling into place – I hope today that we can strategize about the next year at COP30.”
He described the Loss & Damage Fund as “an unparalleled investment for development, peace, and equity. We have a strong starting point and I believe we can make a meaningful difference together in the next 12 months in the lead up to COP30 in Brazil.”
Gilles Carbonnier, Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, agreed that the climate impacts everything from access to health and water to securing livelihoods.
For his part, Syed Husain Quadri, Director of Resilience and Climate Action at the Islamic Development Bank, said: “creating pathways so that livelihoods of climate fragile communities can be protected” was essential. “We want to ensure conflict-fragile settings are connected and that climate finance is more accessible to communities and countries in need.”
In a fireside chat entitled Empowering Youth in the Energy Transition, Beniamin Strzelecki, Youth Climate Advisor to the UN Secretary-General, and a graduate of NYU Abu Dhabi, explained to Antonios Vouloudis, Senior Director of Sustainability and Stewardship at NYUAD, how “the UAE is a great space to get involved in renewable energy as it invests so much in sustainability projects worldwide”. Beniamin advocated how he is “passionate about talking to people in decision-making positions because it’s important to convey the voices of youth. We need more intergenerational dialogue.”
Hosted by First Abu Dhabi Bank, the Economic Transition to Net-Zero was explored through “Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities for High-Emitting Sectors”. Industrial partners considered the decarbonisation of high-emitting sectors and the opportunities for economic transition towards Net Zero.
Closing the day, the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure hosted a panel discussion on Hydrogen: Driving Decarbonisation in Hard-to-Abate Sectors. Emirati and German public and private sector partners turned to sectors such as steel, cement, and waste to analyse how innovative hydrogen solutions can help to decarbonise these industries.