Razan Al Mubarak Champions Integrated Nature-Climate Action During NYC Climate Week Events

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 UAE, participated in significant climate initiatives during Climate Week in New York City. Her role involves promoting ambitious climate actions within the real economy and through multilateral efforts. Her main focus areas include enhancing the climate-nature connection, increasing financial flows for nature and Indigenous communities, and ensuring their inclusion in climate diplomacy.

On 23rd September, Al Mubarak introduced a report titled "Scaling Nature Finance Now: The Opportunity for Investors in Brazil and Beyond." This report highlights that investing in nature-based solutions is both feasible and profitable. While Brazil represents the largest potential market, there are global opportunities valued at approximately US$21 billion. Al Mubarak emphasised that a key outcome of COP28 was recognising nature-based solutions as vital for achieving climate neutrality.

"We need to scale finance for nature, doubling investment in nature-based solutions for climate change by 2030 and tripling investment by 2050," said Al Mubarak. She stressed the importance of increasing nature finance shares for developing countries. Last year in Dubai, nearly every nation advocated ending deforestation, with 160 governments outlining a roadmap to integrate nature and food systems into climate change strategies.

On 24th September, Al Mubarak and Dr. Afif Saif Al Yafei from TAQA Transmission led a meeting with top utility companies as part of the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (UNEZA). Launched at COP28 under IRENA's guidance, UNEZA aims to expand renewable portfolios by 2.6 times by 2030. In New York, this alliance of 39 members announced plans to invest over $116 billion annually in clean energy infrastructure worldwide.

"As we advance toward our net-zero goals, UNEZA demonstrates the power of collaborative efforts to deliver on the 2030 Climate Solutions and the UAE Consensus to triple renewables and double efficiency by 2030," said Al Mubarak. "Today’s commitments reflect both the scale and the ambition of our collective endeavours."

UAE Joins Sustainable Ocean Economy Initiative

The following day, Al Mubarak attended a leaders' meeting of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel), where she announced the UAE's participation. "The Ocean Panel is a unique global initiative, mobilising political leadership and driving multi-stakeholder action towards a sustainable ocean economy," said Al Mubarak. She highlighted aligning efforts across global frameworks like the Global Biodiversity Framework's 30x30 target, SDGs, and Paris Agreement's goals.

Indigenous Peoples’ Access to Finance

On 26th September, Al Mubarak co-hosted an event focused on Indigenous Peoples' access to finance from COP28 to COP30 at the UAE Permanent Mission to the UN with Nigar Arpadarai from COP29. This closed-door event gathered donor governments and funding representatives to discuss faster funding delivery methods. The $1.7 billion commitment made at COP26 will expire at COP30.

"Indigenous Peoples steward a quarter of the Earth’s terrestrial surface and are at the frontlines of fighting climate change," said Al Mubarak. "New funding commitments should consider nature and Indigenous Peoples front and centre." She emphasised advocating for more Indigenous engagement with existing and future funding sources.

Partnerships for Nature-Based Development

On 27th September, Al Mubarak witnessed the signing of a Ghana-UAE letter of intent worth $30 million for community development through nature-based solutions. The agreement outlines six investment areas including reforestation and agroecology. Samuel Jinapour from Ghana's Ministry of Lands signed it alongside Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi from UAE's Ministry of Climate Change.

The UAE Consensus at COP28 saw governments agree on halting deforestation by 2030 while aligning strategies with Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Over $2 billion was mobilised for nature-climate projects including Ghana's Resilient Ghana strategy.

Advancing Climate-Nature Integration

Al Mubarak concluded her participation at Climate Week New York by co-hosting a high-level roundtable with María Susana Muhamad González from Colombia ahead of CBD COP16 next month in Cali. The event gathered leaders across sectors to continue momentum from COP28 on integrating nature into climate action.

"As governments work to enhance their NDCs following the Global Stocktake outcomes, we are advocating for these new NDCs to fully integrate nature’s role in mitigation and adaptation pathways," said Al Mubarak. Announcements included launching a secretariat for Climate-Nature Coordination Platform (CNCP) supporting Joint Statement objectives like incorporating nature within new NDCs aligned with Green Climate Fund (GCF).

With inputs from WAM