The Third Update of the UAE’s Second Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement was approved by the UAE Cabinet, and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) unveiled a thorough roadmap to achieve a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to business as usual.
With specific goals established for every residential sector, the Third Update of the Second NDC represents a commitment on a national scale to reduce emissions. To expedite the UAE’s transition to Net Zero emissions by 2050, this will bring the entire country together, including the public and business sectors.
The Third Update of the Second NDC, according to Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, represents a paradigm shift in the country’s strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
This significant declaration highlights our country’s commitment to more aggressive climate action in the Year of Sustainability when our country will host COP28. The UAE thinks that taking climate action in all facets of our economy is essential for building a prosperous future.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “views climate action not only as a strategic imperative for the environment and our future generations but also as an opportunity for sustainable economic growth and socially inclusive prosperity,” according to Almheiri.
The commitment to reduce emissions by 23.5 percent in our second NDC, 31 percent in our second updated NDC, and 40 percent in our third update of our second NDC compared to business as usual are just a few examples of how we have gradually increased our ambition in less than three years.
Determined strategy with ambitious goals
Despite being formally categorized as a developing nation, the UAE has gone above and above in terms of commitment. For the Third Update of its Second NDC, it is adopting the approach of developed nations by employing fixed-level and base-year targets.
As a result, by 2030, net greenhouse gas emissions will be down to 182 MtCO2e from the anticipated 208 MtCO2e in 2022, as stated in the Updated Second NDC. This represents a 19% absolute emissions decrease from the level of the base year in 2019.
The UAE’s new proactive and voluntary strategy ensures that its emission reduction goals are visible and easy to follow, leading to favorable outcomes that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
All domestic industries, including those that produce water and electricity, heavy industry, transportation, garbage, buildings, and agriculture, shall collectively reduce emissions according to predetermined sectoral goals. The country has created a detailed implementation roadmap that includes new policy initiatives and better governance mechanisms.
The latest revision also shows the UAE’s dedication to the Paris Agreement’s outcomes, which include reducing global warming to below 2 degrees while actively pursuing a limit of far below 1.5 degrees by the end of this century.
A Climate and Growth-Friendly Strategy
The UAE Cabinet recently approved the updated UAE National Energy Strategy 2050 and comprehensive National Hydrogen Strategy, which has emerged as one of the most significant clean energy sources currently available. The Third Update of the Second NDC builds on these approvals.
The UAE intends to establish a specialized national research and development hub for the hydrogen industry and triple its investments in renewable energy over the next seven years.
The intention to lessen the UAE’s environmental impact while promoting climate action’s economic, social, and sustainable benefits is reflected in all these.
Government-wide Initiative
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment involved all organizations nationally to update the NDC. All levels of government (including the federal, emirate, city, and municipality levels) collaborated to create a pathway for achieving 2030 targets.
The UAE provided over 110 opportunities for stakeholders to participate in the process, including over 100 bilateral meetings with public and commercial organizations and focused workshops. This resulted in about 800 submissions of comments. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment carefully considered these when creating the revised NDC. The needs of vulnerable groups, such as young people, women, children, and persons with a strong will, were taken into account by the government at every stage of the process.
