UAE announces strategic initiative of net zero by 2050

The United Arab Emirates said on Thursday a national drive to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and and would oversee 600 billion dirhams (US $163 billion) in investment in renewable energy.

This announcement makes the UAE the first Middle East country to launch a climate control initiative.

"We are committed to seize the opportunity to cement our leadership on climate change within our region and take this key economic opportunity to drive development, growth and new jobs as we pivot our economy and nation to net zero. With an investment of over Dhs 600 billion in renewable energy, our vision for a clean future is clear," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

The UAE which is an OPEC member has invested US $40 billion in clean energy projects for more than 15 years ago, the government said in a press release. They added that they expect the production capacity of clean energy, including solar and nuclear, to reach 14 GW by 2030, up from about 100 MW in 2015 and 2.4 GW in 2020.

The country now has the world’s lowest-cost solar power and is home to three of the largest solar facilities in the world. The Emirates is also the first country in the region to deploy nuclear power and to develop industrial-scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), said the government. 

They have launched multiple initiative to drive innovation in agritech, in particular by reducing water and energy use in farming, to support food security strategy by expanding the production of homegrown healthy crops and reducing reliance on food imports.

The UAE is bidding to host the UN global climate summit, COP28, in 2023.