As the U.N. climate summit known as COP28, which is being presided over by the head of the United Arab Emirates’ biggest oil company continues into its second week, Abu Dhabi government called for a launch of heat alert in 2024 due to record heat waves in the last couple of years in the UAE.
This is according to a top executive from the Abu Dhabi government’s leadership, who shed light on her department’s agenda along with several others, as part of the capital’s Climate Change Strategy at COP 28.
Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi (EAD), said “We all have to work together to address climate change. Here in the UAE and specifically in Abu Dhabi we are at the receiving end of the global impact. Many of us have noticed the unforeseen heat waves and sandstorms more than ever before, in the last two years.”
She added, “Environment stewardship has been with us for many decades. So, this is not new to us. Our founding father has been conscious of conserving and protecting the environment and we’ve had many initiatives to tackle climate change, desertification, blue carbon.”
The emirate plans to deliver a 22 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2027 (which is equivalent to sequestration by 500 million trees over 10 years) in support of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.
In the UAE, a concerted effort has been made to embed environmental consciousness throughout generations, emphasizing the importance of both formal and informal education in raising awareness of the need for the preservation of our natural heritage. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has been at the forefront of this educational revolution, championing initiatives that resonate deeply with our cultural and ecological values.
Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) said, “We have a number of initiatives. One of them is the heat alert which will hopefully be launched next year. By creating procedures we can create action plans to mitigate the impact of environmental factors on human beings.”
Through various strategies, critical sectors such as infrastructure, energy, environment, and health will be enhanced to ensure not only business continuity but also climate resilience and agility.
The UAE has also launched the Industrial Decarbonisation Roadmap at COP28. The roadmap aims to reduce industrial carbon emissions by 2.9 gigatonnes cumulatively until 2050.
