UAE Unveils Ambitious Emissions Reduction Plan Ahead of COP29
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced a bold new climate strategy on Thursday, committing to a 47% reduction in planet-warming emissions by 2035 compared to 2019 levels. This updated plan, known as its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), comes ahead of next week’s COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan. The UAE, a major oil producer, is the first significant emitter to submit an updated climate strategy before the February 2025 deadline.
The NDCs are a key element of the Paris Agreement, designed to encourage nations to set ambitious targets to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. This marks a shift from the UAE’s previous goal set in 2023 to cut emissions by 40% by 2030.
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In its efforts to transition from fossil fuels, the UAE’s plan includes expanding civil nuclear power, boosting solar energy capacity, and developing waste-to-energy technology. Despite this, the country intends to increase fossil fuel production by 2030. Just before last year’s climate summit in Dubai, the UAE’s national oil company awarded $17 billion in contracts for oil field development.
Critics remain skeptical. Andreas Sieber of climate advocacy group 350.org labeled the UAE’s plan as “a greenwashing exercise,” citing insufficient safeguards and a lack of accountability for exported emissions, which make up 63% of the country’s oil exports.
