UAE Delegation Participates In High-Level Energy Transition Dialogue In Brussels To Advance Global Goals

The UAE delegation, led by Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, took part in the High-Level Energy Transition Dialogue. This event was organised by the Presidency of COP30 alongside the International Energy Agency at the European Commission's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting aimed to prepare for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, focusing on accelerating energy transition goals.

Al Olama addressed energy ministers and senior officials, stating, "At COP28 in Dubai, the international community reached an important milestone: the UAE Consensus. This outcome marked a turning point in how the world approaches the energy transition—not merely as an environmental necessity, but as an economic, social, and development imperative."

The UAE's updated Energy Strategy 2050 prioritises energy security, affordability, and sustainability. It sets clear targets for clean energy deployment and deep decarbonisation across sectors. Al Olama emphasised that achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 requires more than just renewables; energy efficiency is crucial. He stated it is "the lowest-cost, highest-impact lever we have—and a key enabler for all other technologies and solutions."

During his speech at the 10th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency organised by the International Energy Agency with the EU Commission, Al Olama highlighted how energy efficiency strengthens economies. He noted that it helps industries reduce costs and improve performance while attracting investment and creating jobs. However, challenges like limited finance access and high upfront costs hinder progress.

The UAE announced its intention to establish the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance (GEEA) during COP29 in Baku to support doubling global energy efficiency improvement rates from 2% to over 4% annually by 2030. Al Olama officially launched GEEA in Brussels, highlighting its importance as global improvement rates remain below 1.5% annually.

As founding Chair and Secretariat of GEEA, the UAE collaborates with partners to move from advocacy to implementation through technical cooperation and finance mobilisation. Al Olama invited governments, private sector entities, financial institutions, and civil society organisations to join GEEA to accelerate global progress on energy efficiency.

On the sidelines of his engagements in Brussels, Al Olama held several bilateral meetings to promote GEEA and advance global energy transition efforts. These included discussions with Stefani Sannino from the European External Action Service; Ditte Juul Jørgensen from the European Commission; Ben Copp from Canada's National Resources; Jan Dusík from Climate Action at the European Commission; Masanori Tsuruda from Japan’s Ministry of Economy; and Anders Hoffmann from Denmark’s Ministry of Climate.

COP29 in Azerbaijan reaffirmed commitments to clean energy investment and credible transition pathways. It stressed finance's role along with technology transfer and regional cooperation as core enablers. The Global Stocktake initiated at COP28 remains a critical benchmark for delivery.

The dialogue served as a platform for exchanging perspectives on implementing outcomes from COP28 and COP29 while aiming to double energy efficiency and triple renewable capacity by 2030.

With inputs from WAM