Sadia

Muhammad
Year 12 G

COP28
UAE
Driving collective climate action in the UAE
Global Climate Vulnerability
What can businesses do to help, and what adaptation
opportunities do they have?
A business can have a critical role to play in advancing global
adaptation efforts. With their dynamic capacity to power
innovation and change, they can help look at problems in new
ways and apply talent to innovate differently. Many companies
are increasingly starting to turn real attention to the need for
adaptation. Factors that are largely driving this are:
the direct impact of chronic climate change on revenues or
costs; and second, the increased visibility and understanding of
climate risks arising from risk analysis and more disclosure.
These businesses are learning more about their climate risks.
Furthermore, Adaptation opportunities include:

 Avoid Economic  Save Cost and

Losses & Generate Aim for
Revenue: by Sustainability: by
assessing climate using ecosystem
risks and capitalizing management
on opportunities practices
 Many Businesses in UAE are taking actions to increase their
positive impact on the surroundings.
Tech in mangrove restoration
BY: ADNOC
The Abu Dhabi Mangrove initiative has
partnered with Distant Imagery to use
drone technology for planting 2.5 million
mangrove seedlings in Abu Dhabi over
the next three years. The initiative aims
to plant up to 10 million mangrove trees
by 2030, contributing to climate
resilience and biodiversity in the region.
Hybrid desalination plant
BY: Metito
Water availability has dropped 1m/
year over 30 years, natural freshwater
resources will deplete in 50 years.
The world largest plant will help with
the growing demand for potable
water, reducing cost and enhancing
performance, and will prevent the
disposal of wastewater and sludge
into the sea.
Greening the desert
BY: Goumbook
Give a Ghaf tree planting program
is restoring native ecosystems and
greening the UAE desert. Over
decades the initiative has planted
75,000 Ghaf seeds and 25,000
have become trees, with the
support of 85 companies, 6,000
employees, and in collaboration
with local municipalities and
citizens.
Introducing the topic:
What is a COP?
● The United Nations (UN) annual climate change conference, aka the
‘Conference of the Parties’ or ‘COP’, brings together world leaders,
ministers and negotiators to agree on how to address climate change. The
COPs are attended by thousands of representatives from civil society, the
private sector, international organizations and the media.
● This year, the 28th session of the (COP28) will be held at Expo City, Dubai
in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between 30 November–12 December
2023. The host country appoints a president to lead the organization.
COP28:AIMS
● To limit climate change
● Since COP21 in 2015, the COPs have revolved around how to implement the
Paris Agreement, which has three main goals:
○ keep global average temperature rise to ‘well below’ 2°C and pursue
efforts to limit the rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels;
○ adapt to climate change and build resilience;
○ and align finance flows with ‘a pathway towards low greenhouse gas
emissions and climate-resilient development.
● Dr Sultan al-Jaber, minister of industry
and advanced technology for the UAE
and managing director and group CEO of
the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
(ADNOC Group), will preside over the
negotiations in Dubai. His position
within the fossil fuel industry, alongside
growing influence of fossil fuel lobbyists
at COPs, have caused controversy and
raised concerns about impartiality in the
climate talks.
● At COP21 in 2015, the world agreed to limit global warming to 1.5°C compared to pre-
industrial levels by 2050. To remain on target, science tells us that emissions must be
halved by 2030. COP28 UAE is a prime opportunity to rethink, reboot, and refocus the
climate agenda.

Working with the UNFCCC Executive Secretary alongside the UN Climate Change
High-Level Champion and the UAE Youth Climate Champion, I will strive to build
consensus amongst parties to drive climate action. Together, we will prioritize efforts to
accelerate emissions reductions through a pragmatic energy transition, reform land use,
and transform food systems. We will work to mobilize solutions for vulnerable countries,
operationalize loss and damage, and deliver the most inclusive Conference possible.
H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber,
President-Designate for COP28 UAE
What is the importance of Cop28?
● COP28 is important for several reasons.it marks the conclusion of
the first global stock take (GST), the main mechanism through
which progress under the Paris Agreement is assessed. The hope is
that governments at COP28 will come up with a roadmap to
accelerate climate action.
● Other critical tasks facing negotiators in Dubai include getting the
loss and damage fund (established at COP27) up and running and
agreeing on a framework for the Paris Agreement’s global goal on
adaptation (GGA).
COP28:AGENDA
● Fast-tracking the energy transition and slashing emissions before
2030; Transforming climate finance, by delivering on old promises
and setting the framework for a new deal on finance; Putting
nature, people, lives, and livelihoods at the heart of climate action;
and. Mobilizing for the most inclusive COP ever.
● While countries should respond to the Global Stock take with
climate solutions across the board, WRI believes it is critical that
they take action in three key areas: fossil fuels, food and land use,
and resilience
Smart city
● Dubai Plan 2021 aims to make Dubai a smart and sustainable city.
Dubai's Smart City project adopts a strategy that calls for the
transformation of about 1000 government services which focus on
six key sectors namely: transportation, infrastructure,
communications, economic services, urban planning and
electricity.
● Abu Dhabi and Dubai have been ranked as the smartest cities
in the Middle East and North Africa region in the 'Smart City
Index 2021’ by the Institute for Management Development (IMD)
and Singapore University for Technology and Design (SUTD).
Reaching Net Zero
➔ Countries have pledged to limit global warming to 1.5C
under the Paris Agreement and net zero by 2050

➔ The MENA region contributes to 9% of global emissions

but the UAE has one of the highest per capita carbon
footprints

➔ Non-state actors can lead the transition, future-proof their

business and shift local supply chains.
UAE NET ZERO BY 2050 STRATEGIC INITAITIVE
UAE NET ZERO BY 2050 STRATEGIC INITAITIVE
Main Climate Change Mitigation Measures
Sources:
● https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/smart-city
● https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/digital-uae/digital-cities/smart-sustainable-cities
● https://www.dsoa.ae/explore-dso/initiatives/dubai-smart-city
● https://www.cop28.com/
● https://www.juliusbaer.com/
● https://www.cop28.com/en/thematic-program
● https://www.cop28.com/en/nex
● https://www.cop28.com/en/news/2023/09/priorities-for-investment-and-scaling
● https://
www.chathamhouse.org/2023/09/what-cop28-and-why-it-important?gclid=CjwKCAjw-KipBhBtEiwAWjgwrBN4JUuGjhhse
rxn0EUaPznAZnrhbpkn7yN-NPUszyVX-gaAPOHpPBoCBmwQAvD_BwE
● https://drsultanaljaber.com/
● https://youmatter.world/en/actions-companies-climate-change-environment-sustainability/#:~:text=By%20encouraging%20e
mployees%20to%20take,their%20impact%20on%20climate%20change
.
● https://www.hotjar.com/blog/ten-ways-companies-can-help-fight-climate-change/
● https://wepik.com/edit/9a5c61ea-98b3-44ae-906b-7b1945c2582d
● https://www.agbi.com/cop28/?
gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpompBhDZARIsAFD_Fp9luOobdIpnIBN0Q6Kquej9QxCjkH_9NMwjzYU2uMUTA9sofokdCgka
ArUZEALw_wcB