Today's Edition
Hala Al Khayyat (Abu Dhabi)
Dr. Sheikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), affirmed that in the current period, climate technology must be used to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce the carbon footprint per individual.
Al Dhaheri explained that there are variations in the target emissions reductions from sector to sector, considering that the electricity and water sectors have the most potential to reduce emissions, followed by the transport sector, which will undergo significant changes in the future. In an interview with Aletihad, Al Dhaheri said: "The challenge of climate change involves two aspects; the first is identifying emissions and reducing them to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius,
The second aspect consists of innovation, which is crucial in changing the operating systems of the transport sector by adopting more sustainable solutions with a smaller transport footprint." She noted that the industrial sector requires the use of technology and innovation to achieve greater value with a lower carbon intensity.
"For a long time, the UAE has recognised that climate change represents a significant challenge, and the leadership is serious in its desire to lead the region in addressing this global threat, especially as the impacts of climate change reflect on health, agriculture, and food security. This necessitates confronting its significant effects on the environment, natural resources, and the future of life on Earth," Al Dhaheri said.
According ot Al Dhaheri, hosting major conferences, like the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties (COP28), puts the UAE on the right path to achieve this important goal. COP28 holds significant importance in achieving the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, as it will witness the first global assessment of nationally determined contributions, in addition to defining the contours of the next round of these contributions, she added. Regarding the EAD's role in addressing climate change, Al Dhaheri said that the agency is commitmented to contributing to the UAE's initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
The climate change strategy in Abu Dhabi focuses on the collaborative efforts of all concerned entities through the Abu Dhabi Climate Change Task Force to achieve the goals of this strategy. This strategy plays an active role in enhancing Abu Dhabi's adaptability to climate change within the next five years to protect all sectors affected by the implications of climate change, most notably the infrastructure, energy, environment, and health sectors, she said.
Abu Dhabi Emirate, through its climate change strategy, aims to achieve climate leadership by reducing emissions from key sectors and enhancing adaptability to expected impacts, while maintaining its attractive investment environment, moving towards a low-carbon economy, and promoting innovation, Al Dhaheri said. Concerning the strategic targets of the Abu Dhabi Climate Change Strategy 2023 – 2027, Al Dhaheri said that the strategy primarily aims to provide full protection for the sectors most vulnerable to the ramifications of climate change.
The strategy sets a main emissions reduction target of 22% by 2027 from the total emissions recorded in 2016. This promotes the emirate's trajectory towards cutting emissions by 35% by 2030, and more broadly, towards the nation's path to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
