The UAE, in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), has launched a strategic partnership aimed at assisting 20 developing countries in enhancing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the NDC Partnership. This initiative is designed to elevate climate ambitions and catalyze immediate action.
Announced during a joint event on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the partnership aims to harness the UAE’s leadership in climate and renewable energy while building on IRENA’s crucial role in facilitating NDC development and steering the transition to a sustainable energy future.
Renewable and clean energy solutions are pivotal for nations striving to meet and elevate their NDC ambitions. The insights from the first Global Stocktake at COP28, known as the UAE Consensus, provide a framework for a fair energy transition and aim to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement by tripling renewable power capacity by 2030.
On the sidelines of the 79th #UNGA, the #UAE and @IRENA announced a strategic partnership to support 20 developing nations in strengthening their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), during a joint event. pic.twitter.com/8DTFjK3JxT
— UAE Mission to IRENA (@UAEMissionIRENA) September 23, 2024
Addressing challenges for developing nations
This UAE-IRENA partnership, WAM reported, is tailored to address the unique challenges faced by developing nations, such as limited technical expertise and financial access, enabling them to formulate and achieve more ambitious national climate and energy strategies, all while aiming to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Supporting measurable targets
The partnership will help these 20 developing economies set more detailed and measurable renewable energy targets across various sectors. Moreover, this will ensure that their national energy plans align with their NDCs.
Read more: Dominican Republic seeks renewable energy cooperation with UAE to combat climate change
Current commitments and future goals
While nearly all countries have ratified the Paris Agreement and submitted their NDCs, initial commitments would only limit global temperature rise to approximately 2.8 degrees Celsius by the century’s end. Updated NDCs, along with net-zero targets, are anticipated to cut emissions by 20 percent by 2030, potentially restricting warming to 2.1 degrees Celsius, according to the latest synthesis report from the UNFCCC—still exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius objective.
Commitment to communities
Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, UAE minister of Climate Change and Environment, underscored the UAE’s commitment to supporting climate frontline communities. She noted that bridging the gaps between current NDC ambitions and the targets needed by the end of the decade represents a critical challenge of the climate crisis that requires collective action and urgency.
She expressed pride in collaborating with IRENA to empower developing countries in accelerating their energy transitions by enhancing the effectiveness of their NDCs. According to her, this partnership is a promising step toward enabling nations to raise and meet their climate targets while contributing to global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Dr. Al Shamsi also mentioned that, as a global renewable energy pioneer, the UAE is dedicated to advancing global climate action and the energy transition. She stated that this partnership with IRENA under the NDC Partnership is part of the UAE’s broader efforts to support the tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030, as outlined in the UAE Consensus following COP28.
Supporting developing nations
Francesco La Camera, director-general of IRENA, emphasized the importance of the partnership, noting that renewables are widely regarded as the fastest, cleanest, and most cost-effective way to reduce carbon emissions within the limited time available. He commended the UAE for its ongoing leadership in energy transition and expressed enthusiasm about collaborating in a strategic partnership to empower the most vulnerable countries globally.
La Camera also highlighted that supporting developing nations in their NDCs is essential for providing long-term policy certainty, attracting investment, and encouraging private sector involvement in a just transition that creates socioeconomic opportunities for people and communities.
Bridging the renewable energy gap
Renewable energy is crucial to bridging this gap. IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook estimates that global installed renewable power capacity must triple to over 11 TW by 2030 to remain on a path aligned with the 1.5 degrees Celsius target.
Urgent need for specific targets
However, current renewable energy targets within NDCs are inadequate. As of October 2023, 184 parties have included renewable energy elements in their NDCs, yet only 148 have established quantifiable targets, predominantly focused on the power sector. With the deadline for the third submission of NDCs approaching at COP30 in 2025, there is an urgent need for more specific and time-bound targets in crucial sectors such as heating, cooling, and transportation.
Collaboration for global climate objectives
Following the partnership announcement, a signing ceremony and networking session took place, where diplomats and stakeholders exchanged views on the significance of collaboration in achieving global climate objectives.
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