Abu Dhabi: Emirates Nature-WWF officially launched the United Arab Emirates Alliance for Climate Action (UACA) at COP27 in Egypt during the recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change climate negotiations (UNFCCC).
The alliance was created for non-state actors to accelerate the momentum of net zero goals in line with science and the Paris Agreement, a global treaty that calls on countries to take concerted climate action to reduce carbon emissions. greenhouse gases, limiting global warming to 1.5. VS
UACA’s goal is to accelerate net zero targets and implementation in the run-up to COP28, but with a critical focus on post-COP28 engagement and activities to ensure momentum and implementation. implemented.
Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “We are delighted to see non-governmental organizations such as Emirates Nature-WWF contributing to the advancement of the country’s net zero ambitions. We endorse the launch of the UACA and encourage non-state actors in the UAE to join. UACA will also support the implementation of the MOCCAE’s UAE Climate Responsible Business Pledge, signed by private sector entities, to guide them in achieving their commitments.
She added, “It is only through effective synergies between the triple helix – government, private sector and academia – that we can mitigate and adapt to the global challenge of climate change.”
Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Nature-WWF, said: “Our ambition is for UACA to be the main non-state actor and flagship program in the United Arab Emirates; and to foster more meaningful impact from stakeholders by supporting and implementing tangible adaptation and mitigation strategies, plans and actions that actually reduce the impacts of climate change and contribute to climate change efforts. aiming to limit global warming to 1.5°C”.
Set targets
The desired outcome of UACA is to provide capacity building and tools to implement and achieve transparent and credible net zero targets; and to locally activate the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action and engage sub-national and non-state actors (SNSA) in a collaborative and meaningful way through a bottom-up approach. UACA will collect feedback, gather information, investigate barriers and propose solutions to non-state actors to establish science-based targets, which will then be further integrated into policies through government and stakeholder engagement.
Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO of HSBC UAE and International Head of HSBC Bank Middle East, UACA’s first founding donor, said: “We are committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions in our operations and supply chain. by 2030 and work with our partners to address decarbonization and setting science-based net zero targets. As UACA’s first founding donor, we look forward to this project becoming the catalyst for the UAE’s net zero commitments, and we stand ready to support our clients and clients on this journey, using our international experience .
UACA was launched at COP27 in collaboration with the Global Climate Action Alliances (ACA), coordinated by WWF International, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Climate Action Network (CAN), C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and plus, whose mission is to engage sub-national and non-state actors (SNSA) from various segments such as finance, transport, real estate, food and SMEs and create a global network of national multi-sectoral coalitions committed to support the delivery and improvement of their countries climate goals.
Regional premiere
Manuel Pulgar Vidal, Head of Climate and Energy Practice at WWF International, said: “There are currently nine global alliances present in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Vietnam and the United States. The UAE Alliance for Climate Action (UACA) will be the first in the MENA region, and we are confident that it will have a promising impact on non-state and sub-national collaborative action by national actors to increase action and aim for economy-wide decarbonization in line with science. The creation of the UACA has shown the will of the various actors to lead the global process, with concrete actions at the national level, precisely in the country which will host the next COP28.
Strategic cooperation
UACA will also cooperate with like-minded organizations to build the technical capacity of members on the topic of setting net zero targets. In particular, UACA will work with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), who will engage as a strategic partner of Emirates Nature-WWF, supporting through their deep expertise and experience in driving climate action in all sectors globally and in the UAE.
Simon Birkebaek, Thematic Lead for Climate and Sustainability in the Middle East, Partner, BCG, said: “Our work on global climate action has shown us that effective collaboration between stakeholders remains a key driver for accelerating real movement and change in climate action efforts. We are excited to work with Emirates Nature-WWF to accelerate and advance climate action in the UAE.
Growing network
In addition, UACA will work with civil society organizations such as the Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC MENA) to promote constructive dialogue and collective action and advance public policy towards net zero ambition.
During the event, UAE-based non-state actors such as Alserkal Group, Apparel Group, HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd, SirajPower, talabat and Unilever Gulf signed up to be the first signatory members of the alliance accepting UACA principles and increasing ambition. . In the coming months, UACA aims to induct many more founding members and partners to strengthen its coalition and introduce these donors, members, its program and its tools.