Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, will lead the UAE delegation to the 24th Conference of the Parties, COP24, to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC, in Katowice, Poland.
The negotiations at COP24, set to run from 2nd to 14th December 2018, will focus on finalising the elements of the Paris Agreement Work Programme that will guide the implementation of the milestone accord.
The delegation will comprise of officials from the Ministry of Energy and Industry, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the National Centre for Meteorology, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, Masdar, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence, the World Green Economy Organisation, the Emirates Diplomatic Academy, and New York University Abu Dhabi.
The delegation will provide an overview of the UAE’s climate action in line with its nationally determined contributions, NDCs. The delegates will outline the country’s experience in issuing legislations and strategies that form a regulatory framework for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. In addition, they will highlight the ambitious clean and renewable energy targets, the country’s global aid and investment in renewable energy through its public and private sector, and the national youth empowerment drive that aims to encourage young people to become more active participants in achieving a sustainable future.
They will call for differentiated requirements under the Paris Agreement Work Programme to ensure that they do not interfere with economic and social development priorities. They will also propose that developed countries with historical responsibilities continue taking the lead in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions as well as providing financial, technical, and capability-building support to developing countries.
On the sidelines of their participation in COP24, the delegates will attend multiple events, including youth engagement and mentorship sessions, World Green Economy Organisation Side Event, Energy Day, and Global Climate Action Day.