The news about
climate change, as the primary suspect behind heavy rains, floods, wildfires,
heat waves, and droughts around the world, has one upside: the alarming
phenomenon has started to have the attention of the world, and some countries
have already started to take the issue very seriously.
اضافة اعلان
In one country,
in particular, officials are moving from skepticism to acting to address the
phenomenon.
Three pieces of
news published within 48 hours late last week show the long way the UAE has
gone in its fight to mitigate the impact of climate change, through wise and
creative solutions and investments.
The first is the
news about the inaugural Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit,
slated for September 28–30 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the US, where
participants, including the Emirates, will “explore new industrial
opportunities and technologies to spearhead sustainable economic growth and
drive partnerships between the UAE and the US”, according to the The National,
a daily newspaper in Abu-Dhabi.
The UAE, a
leading oil-producing country, is aware of the fact that although traditional
energy resources are still indispensable, the transition from fossil fuel to
renewable, green energy is inevitable. Therefore, it is dedicating part of its
resources to ensuring a smooth transition into the future, when oil is no more,
or at least not enough to power the daily machine of tomorrow’s world.
This leads to the
second story run by The National, headlined “Global CCS Institute opens first
regional headquarters in Masdar City”. CCS is the Global Carbon Capture and
Storage Institute, an international think tank focused on carbon capture and
storage technology. The fact that CCS has made such a decision indicates that
the international organization believes in the UAE’s ability to realize the
energy-utopian destination, simply because the GCC country’s policymakers have
the will to pursue such a dream.
The UAE, a leading oil-producing country, is aware of the fact that although traditional energy resources are still indispensable, the transition from fossil fuel to renewable, green energy is inevitable. Therefore, it is dedicating part of its resources to ensuring a smooth transition into the future, when oil is no more, or at least not enough to power the daily machine of tomorrow's world.
The third is a
piece of news about Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announcing, on
Thursday, that “its first ever shipment of low-carbon ammonia has left the UAE
bound for Hamburg, Germany”.
ADNOC ‘s Managing
Director and Group Chief Executive Sultan Al-Jaber, who is also the UAE’s
minister of industry and advanced technology, and special envoy for climate
change, is the man handling the policies set by the UAE’s leadership to make
sure the country is doing its best to save the world from harmful carbon
emissions.
Commenting on the
shipment, Jaber was quoted by The National as saying that ADNOC has “ambitious
growth plans for the production of clean hydrogen, and its carrier fuels such
as ammonia, which will play a critical role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate
industrial sectors”.
The interesting
aspect about the UAE’s approach to energy issues is that it is a lucrative
business. The message to other countries is that while one can help solve the
world’s problems, one can also monetize the efforts, and that explains the
billions the UAE invests in countries most vulnerable to climate change,
ensuring a win-win for all.
The world could
learn from the UAE and contribute to international efforts aimed at saving the
world before it is too late.
Khalid Dalal is a former advisor at the Royal Hashemite
Court, former director of media and communication at the Office of His Majesty
King Abdullah, and works currently as a senior advisor for media, strategic
communication, PR, international cooperation, and business development locally,
regionally, and globally. khaliddalal@aol.com
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