Today's Edition
ISIDORA CIRIC (DUBAI)
Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), conveyed the significance of COP28 as a crucial platform for dialogue and action in combating climate change in exclusive remarks to Aletihad.
“UICCA has always believed that partnership, collaboration and dialogue between stakeholders from the public sector, private sector and civil society are vital to achieve global progress on climate change, and there is no better platform to facilitate this than COP28,” Her Highness said.
COP28 is also a podium for young people to share their voices, as they are a powerful force who will care for our planet in the coming century, Her Highness stressed, praising their determination and knowledge.
“I am particularly pleased to see the extensive participation of young people at COP28. This is the generation that will care for our planet in the next century, and they are also the ones who will face the most critical effects of climate change. This week, as I have listened to many young people, I have been inspired by how informed and determined they are to take action and secure a better outcome for our planet,” H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa al Nahyan underscored.
Talking about the importance of collaboration in achieving a sustainable future, Her Highness said: “We cannot escape the truth that the world faces an enormous challenge, but with coordinated global and intergenerational alignment, the dream of a sustainable future is attainable. I encourage everyone to share in my optimism.”
The UICCA is dedicated to fostering a green economy in the UAE and worldwide, serving as a collaborative platform that unites various sectors to promote green financing and effective environmental policies.
UICCA’s Role at COP28: Empowering Participation
UICCA showcased a significant presence at COP28, orchestrating around 50 events in the Blue and Green Zones, according to Tara Al Marzooqi, an associate at UICCA.
Al Marzooqi told Aletihad that the focus of these events was on innovation, technology, policy, research, and finance, she added.
She also expressed the accelerator’s aim to unlock key stakeholders and foster strong connections with various countries and companies, with the goal of boosting the green economy in the UAE.
These events represented a microcosm of UICCA’s comprehensive approach to addressing climate change, showcasing a blend of innovative solutions, technological advancements, policy discussions, in-depth research, and financial strategies.
One of the highlights of UICCA’s involvement at COP28 was its collaboration with Webit.Foundation to host the special edition Founders Games, Grow@COP.
This competition drew over 3,000 applications from startups in diverse sectors like health, fintech, and clean technology. Participants vied for a portion of Webit’s $6 million investment fund and the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a global jury of investors.
Eftal Efecinar, Senior Manager UICCA, told Aletihad that the organisation tries hard to ensure that businesses of all sizes get a change to share their innovations.
“We are committed to empowering startups on the international stage and aim to significantly expand our reach to engage with a broader spectrum of SMEs,” she said.
A pivotal moment for UICCA at COP28 was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This agreement, formalised by UICCA’s President & CEO, H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, and Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, laid the groundwork for collaborative efforts in enhancing climate finance, building capacity in youth and women, and developing carbon markets.
“As a part of the MoU we signed with UNFCCC, we have committed to be their capacity building partner in regards to Article 6, by providing support on climate finance-related things in the region,” Efecinar said, noting that UICCA wants to widen the scope of its climate action initiatives in the future.
Key Collaborations and Partnerships
A significant focus of the UICCA has been the formation of strategic alliances, such as the UAE Carbon Alliance, to enhance the development of a carbon market ecosystem in the region.
This alliance is a testament to UICCA’s commitment to creating market-based solutions and frameworks that contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and the advancement of sustainable practices.
Through this alliance, UICCA aims to bring together various stakeholders, leverage their collective expertise, and drive forward the development of an effective and efficient carbon market in the UAE.
Another significant step was collaboration with CarbonClick, a platform enabling all COP28 attendees to offset their conference visits with transparent and high-quality carbon credits, with the goal of slowing down global warming.
Speaking with Aletihad, Dave Rouse, the CEO of CarbonClick, discussed the partnership with UICCA. “The thing I really love about working with UICCA is that they genuinely want to make a difference. They are purpose driven, and want to accelerate solutions that will fix climate change. And so they leverage their skills, knowledge and networks to help us in the region to do that,” he said.
UICCA is also deeply engaged in community outreach through initiatives like The Climate Tribe and Climate Call, which focus on inspiring climate action and sourcing global ideas for food security, water scarcity, and renewable energy.
Climate Call is an interactive platform launched by the UICCA to crowdsource and accelerate innovative climate action ideas from around the world.
“Unlike traditional competitions where you can submit an idea to a series of judges who select the winner, with Climate Call, we’re giving the full power to the users themselves, to vote on ideas, to comment on ideas, fostering that dialogue,” Zachary Benetatos, Senior Associate at UICCA, told Aletihad.
The Climate Tribe is a UAE-based social enterprise focused on enabling climate action through dynamic storytelling, immersive community engagement, and radical collaboration, has been unveiled.
“The Climate Tribe is a community platform where people come together, especially the youth, to learn things about sustainability, to broaden their awareness and to raise their capacity to be able to share that knowledge with other youth,” Al Marzooqi explained.
Empowering Youth and Community Engagement
At the heart of the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators’ (UICCA) mission is a deep commitment to empowering the youth, a vision passionately shared by its leadership.
Understanding the pivotal role that young people play in shaping the future, UICCA has actively integrated youth engagement into its core initiatives, especially during COP28, where the organisation hosted numerous events, including the Youth Ambition Majlis.
“I think that youth has a major influence, especially at COP28. At UICCA, we believe that the youth are able to empower the next generation and the generations to come,” Al Marzooqi stressed.
Benetatos also expressed the importance of having the youth on stage during COP28.“So many people from all around the world are looking at the ideas that have been proposed by youth from around the world at COP28. So they’re part of COP as well, and I just want to recognise that,” he said.
Leadership and Vision
In the dynamic landscape of environmental sustainability, the UAE stands out as a rapidly progressing nation, well-positioned to make impactful strides in global climate action.
Benetatos shared his enthusiasm and pride regarding the UAE’s contributions to the global climate conversation during COP28.
“I’m super proud to see that we’re able to be in this country and showcase the innovations and the work that we’re doing,” he said.
“I think the UAE as a country has created the land for vast opportunities to occur. And I think that the late Sheikh Zayed has created so much respect for the environment and sustainability itself,” said Al Marzooqi, discussing the UAE’s dynamic landscape of environmental sustainability.
Rouse, CEO at CarbonClick, captured this essence, stating: “The UAE is growing rapidly. It’s well-financed... and can demonstrate to the rest of the world what is possible.”
