Abu Dhabi Department Of Energy And Global Climate Finance Centre Sign MoU On Energy And Water Efficiency Initiatives

The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global Climate Finance Centre (GCFC). This agreement was formalised during the 2025 World Utilities Congress, in preparation for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference. The GCFC is tasked with leading the Finance Track at this upcoming conference.

Ahmed Al Falasi, Executive Director of the Energy Efficiency Sector, highlighted the significance of this partnership. He stated, "This agreement represents a strategic milestone in our ongoing efforts to drive the transition toward a sustainable economic model that helps address climate change challenges. We recognise the importance of activating partnerships with leading institutions such as the Global Climate Finance Centre, given their pivotal role in enhancing our capacity to develop pioneering projects and enabling innovative and flexible financing solutions that benefit both the economy and society."

Mercedes Vela Monserrate, CEO of GCFC, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration. She noted, "This agreement reflects the work already underway between GCFC and the Department of Energy to develop financing mechanisms for energy and water efficiency. It also formalises our collaboration as we lead the Finance Track for the 2026 UN Water Conference. Our focus is on mobilising capital, supporting regulatory frameworks, and delivering practical solutions through a strong pipeline of investable projects."

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation by supporting Abu Dhabi’s Finance Strategy implementation. It seeks to establish Abu Dhabi as a hub for climate finance and innovation. The agreement also focuses on building institutional capacities, exchanging knowledge, and scaling financing for energy and water efficiency projects.

Ahmed Al Falasi further mentioned plans for impactful initiatives through this collaboration. He said they aim to support projects like ‘Cooling as a Service’ while developing an ecosystem involving government entities, private sectors, and communities. The focus is on measurable progress in energy and water efficiency aligned with national priorities.

The MoU outlines specific areas for cooperation such as developing financing instruments for energy infrastructure. It includes capital structuring tools like guarantees, linked loans, bond frameworks, technical support for regulators, project developers, financial institutions, policy alignment for investment-readiness, and high-level meetings to support pipeline development.

Strengthening Financial Solutions

GCFC and DoE will collaborate to align financial solutions with Abu Dhabi’s strategic goals. This partnership aims to position Abu Dhabi as a regional leader in climate finance by supporting regulatory frameworks and delivering practical solutions through investable projects.

The memorandum was signed by Ahmed Al Falasi from DoE and Mercedes Vela Monserrate from GCFC. Dr. Abdulla Humaid Al Jarwan from DoE and Abdulla Balalaa from Foreign Affairs witnessed it alongside other officials.

This collaboration underscores Abu Dhabi's commitment to advancing sustainable practices in energy and water management while fostering innovation in climate finance solutions.

With inputs from WAM