DUBAI - Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, affirmed that the UAE's energy sector is vital to ensuring the success of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), taking place at Dubai Expo City with the participation of world leaders.

The UAE realised early on the importance of a realistic and responsible energy transition and succeeded in launching several strategies that enhanced its leadership in the sector and in reaching climate neutrality by 2050, Al Mazrouei told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) during the inaugural day of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) at COP28.

He added that the energy sector in the UAE has an integral role in the drive to achieve carbon emission reductions. “As part of the updated UAE Energy Strategy 2050, the UAE announced targeting net zero by 2050 in the electricity and water sectors to ensure reaching the country's objectives.”

“The UAE has also boosted its investments in sustainable energy and diversified its sources, investing heavily in sustainable energy projects such as solar, wind, hydrogen, nuclear, hydroelectric, and others,” Al Mazrouei went on to say, noting that the UAE has invested over $40 billion in clean energy projects over the past 15 years and aims to invest AED 150-200 billion by 2030 to ensure that the energy demand is met and economic growth and energy security are sustained.

“The UAE has one of the lowest grid emission factors compared to the global average, and is targeting a grid emission factor of 0.27 kg CO2/kWh by 2030,” he explained. “The UAE also announced that it will triple the contribution of renewable energy in the total energy mix by 2030 as part of the updated UAE Energy Strategy 2050.”

The UAE is also seeking to raise the contribution of installed capacity of clean energy to 30 percent of the total energy mix by 2030, Al Mazrouei continued, noting that other areas that the UAE is developing are nuclear and low-carbon hydrogen through various current and future projects and initiatives.