Understanding UAE’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
Like every other nation engaged in climate action, the UAE has a national-level strategy in place that is just right for its arid and water-scarce environment. The country’s climate adaptation policies therefore address these extremities and focus on diversifying the economy by tapping into innovative green products and services. As the country is generally not as resource-rich as many of its counterparts in the Middle East, the science-based strategies and sustainable initiatives that are currently underway are bound to give a positive outcome.
In this article, we will learn more about climate change and how the UAE is tackling this issue.
Understanding climate change
Climate change refers to the increasingly erratic weather patterns and changes in temperatures that are seen throughout the world. Large-scale climate changes were known to occur due to natural reasons such as sun activity or large volcanic eruptions. However, since the 1800s, after a few decades of industrial revolution and subsequent human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, climate change has become a bigger issue to the entire planet.
When fossil fuels like coal and petroleum burn, they generate greenhouse gas emissions that blanket the earth, trapping the sun’s heat within the earth’s atmosphere, and causing global warming. Studies now tell us that energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture, and land use all-cause greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change.
The increasing temperature doesn’t just make the world a little warmer. Over the years scientists have found that climate change can cause water scarcity, droughts, forest fires, melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels, flooding catastrophic storms, and declining biodiversity. As a direct consequence of this, people all around the world experience declining health, reduced ability to grow food, and loss of housing, safety, and work among other issues.
This is why every nation, whether it’s highly vulnerable to climate impact or not, has taken drastic measures to act against climate change. Here is how it’s done in the UAE-
UAE’s national climate change plan
With increased awareness and knowledge of the impact of climate change, the UAE government and various profit and non-profit organizations are tirelessly working to safeguard society and the environment.
The National Climate Change Plan or simply ‘Climate Plan’ consolidates all of UAE’s climate action and sustainable initiatives under a single framework. The plan identifies strategies that cover both mitigation and adaptation measures to tackle climate change.
According to the plan, it has been identified that the areas that are most vulnerable to climate change are the water, coastal, marine, and dryland ecosystems, agriculture and food security, buildings and infrastructures, and public health. The plan has also identified the consequences of climate change in the UAE as-
- Impact on the UAE’s development objectives
- Extreme weather variations
- Slow-onset issues such as rising sea levels
- Disruption of transport and infrastructure
- Negative impact on real estate
- Loss of environmental assets
- Damage to the tourism industry
As a first step to addressing climate change, the UAE was the first nation in the MENA region to sign the Paris Agreement at COP21. By the agreement, the UAE has been taking active steps along with fellow nations to reduce the global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. Thanks to the flexible nature of the Paris Agreement, the UAE could evaluate its own climate contributions and implement steps that are ideal for the country and its existing infrastructure.
The National Climate Plan currently has three touch points-
- Manage greenhouse gas emissions while sustaining economic growth
The UAE’s anticipated economic and population growth is expected to increase the total greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, the Climate Plan aims to effectively control these emissions to ensure that the country’s climate action not only aligns with economic objectives but also decouples emissions from economic growth.
- Increase climate resilience by minimizing risks and improving adaptive capacity
Fostering a climate-resilient economy is the basic requirement for the UAE to realize the goals laid out in the UAE Vision 2021. The Climate Plan revolves around a thorough and scientific evaluation of climate-related risks and vulnerabilities. It emphasizes the need to make the nation’s economy and infrastructure resilient to climate impacts, safeguarding both its people and ecosystems.
- Advance the UAE’s economic diversification agenda through innovative solutions
As the UAE continues to invest in non-oil sectors that exhibit substantial growth potential, the Climate Plan will focus more on diversifying to key emerging industries. This will be accomplished through the implementation of resource-efficient, innovative strategies designed to yield better results from these emerging sectors. Additionally, the plan aims to encourage job creation in sustainable businesses and reinforce the relationship between climate action and economic diversification.
In alignment with these, multiple sustainable initiatives have also been launched in the UAE over the years.
Climate change adaptation
The UAE government views Climate Plan adaptation as a necessity and not just an option. To ensure this, the policymakers are now focusing on integrating climate resilience policies and infrastructure to manage current and future risks and opportunities. Additionally, the adaptation measures need to be scaled to match the scope and extent of the nation’s climate change mitigation efforts. Here is an overview of the adaptation plan-
- National GHG emissions management system
The National Climate Change Plan consolidates local initiatives into a single platform and sets up a cohesive framework for tracking emissions and delivering reports. Its objective is to create a comprehensive system for monitoring, reporting, and verifying the adoption of global best practices in climate action.
- National programs for adaptation to climate change
With a better understanding of potential climate changes and their associated consequences in the country, it is necessary to have a national-level development plan to demonstrate resilience. These adaptation plans should also be founded on scientific research and findings, while also considering the developmental needs of the nation.
- Private sector-driven economic diversification programme
The private sector can play a pivotal role in driving forward the UAE’s economic diversification strategy, primarily by expanding the market for environmentally-friendly products and services. To accomplish the diversification agenda, the government is looking to facilitate a conducive atmosphere for the private sector through the implementation of regulations and incentives.
Final word
Climate change adaptation is at the forefront of the UAE’s long-term sustainability goals. With less than two months until the COP28, which is to be held in Expo City Dubai in November, the country is gearing up to involve more enablers who can double adaptation finance and replenish the country’s Green Climate Fund.
In a nutshell, the UAE is currently on a well-defined and designed path to realize its climate change goals, with a hopeful future to look forward to. Explore more about the Sustainable initiatives
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