The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) hosted a final workshop on climate change adaptation at its headquarters in Dubai. A number of environmental stakeholders representing federal and local authorities, academia, and other relevant entities attended the two-day event that concluded today.
The workshop was part of the implementation of the National Climate Change Plan of the UAE 2017-2050, approved by the Cabinet in June 2017. Climate change adaptation – preparation for and building resilience to the potential local impacts of global climate change – is one of the three pillars of the Plan.
In his opening remarks, Fahed Mohamed Al Hammadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change at MOCCAE, said: “Providing vital ecosystem services, our natural environment is the foundation of the UAE’s sustainable development. Climate change affects all species, including multiple aspects of human life. We cannot ignore the necessity and urgency of adapting to climate change, as it may hamper the country’s development if we fail to prepare now.”
He added: “Achieving a climate-resilient and sustainable environment requires concerted efforts from the public sector, private sector, and civil society. Therefore, MOCCAE works relentlessly to engage diverse stakeholders in developing and implementing climate adaptation actions.”
Dr John Pinnegar, Director of the Marine Climate Change Centre at the UK-based Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), provided an expert overview of climate change impacts on the environment and facilitated discussions. Meanwhile, Dr David Thomson, Associate Professor of Biology at the United Arab Emirates University’s College of Science, discussed climate change impacts on the country’s marine resources and fisheries.
MOCCAE is currently working with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) on the assessment of climate risks to the four key sectors most important to the country’s sustainable, climate-resilient future – health, energy, infrastructure, and the environment. The Ministry organized a workshop for each sector to gain insights into the stakeholders’ understanding of and readiness for climate change adaptation. The environmental stakeholder workshop was the final installment of the series. Based on the input from the sessions and the results of the sector-specific climate change risk assessments, MOCCAE will devise the National Action Plan for Climate Change Adaptation, scheduled to launch in Q4 2018.
For the environmental sector, the Ministry compiled available evidence on potential climate change impacts on the country’s terrestrial, marine, coastal, and aquatic environment, as well as existing policies aimed at coping with the consequences. The collected information underwent a preliminary analysis according to an original risk assessment framework, developed in line with international best practices. The workshop acquainted the stakeholders with the initial results and engaged them in refining the analysis. Furthermore, the participants discussed priority adaptation measures, and the way of planning concrete initiatives and roadmaps.