Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Announces Evolution Of UICCA To Frontier25 At Ideas To Impact Forum

H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President & CEO of Frontier25 and The Climate Tribe (TCT), has announced a significant transformation for the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA). This Abu Dhabi-based nonprofit, established in 2022, is now rebranding as Frontier25. The change reflects a renewed urgency in advancing climate and sustainability solutions.

The rebranding was revealed at the "Ideas to Impact" forum in Abu Dhabi. This event gathered 250 participants, including government officials, business leaders, and green economy experts. They shared insights and built connections to inspire progressive climate action. H.H. Sheikha Shamma emphasised the need for a multifaceted strategy to tackle climate change.

Frontier25 aims to break down silos by bringing together senior executives, academic institutions, think tanks, startups, and investors. These stakeholders recognise that climate action presents both risks and opportunities. The organisation will continue its mission with a renewed focus on facilitating immediate navigation towards measurable impact.

In 2024, global temperatures rose to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. The year 2025 is crucial for meeting net-zero ambitions by 2050. It marks a turning point to transform ideas into impactful actions. Frontier25's name symbolises crossing a threshold between crisis and course correction.

For three years, UICCA has been building partnerships and delivering results. It published over 20 market insights reports and thought leadership pieces, delivered dialogues and Policy Hacks, made policy recommendations for net-zero goals, accelerated climate startups, and expanded the UAE Carbon Alliance.

Frontier25 will support partners in advancing a shared climate agenda while remaining independent and nonprofit. Its focus remains on driving measurable change through evidence-based advisory services, market acceleration activities, and strategic alliances.

Addressing Key Challenges

The MENA region faces nearly US$500 billion in investment needs but attracts only 6.6% of global climate finance. As momentum builds with UAE banks pledging AED1 trillion in sustainable finance by 2030, Frontier25 will address gaps in accelerating access to climate finance.

The built environment contributes 37% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Recognising this impact, the UAE aims to reduce buildings-related emissions by 85% by 2030 as part of its Third Nationally Determined Contribution.

Promoting Climate Literacy

Climate literacy is essential for achieving the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 target. While literacy rates exceed 90%, awareness across the MENA region varies. Frontier25 will explore how communication and technology can strengthen public understanding of climate issues.

Aviation accounts for about 18% of the UAE’s GDP and provides one in ten jobs. Investments to modernise and decarbonise aviation are critical for supporting the green economy and reaching net-zero targets.

Collaborative Efforts

Frontier25 is fostering dialogue with key stakeholders to advance maritime decarbonisation efforts in the UAE. Partnerships aim to build a unified regulatory framework for sustainable shipping practices.

The "Ideas to Impact" forum highlighted five key themes from Frontier25’s '25 to 2050' report published in February. These themes explore priority actions towards achieving the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy goals.

The forum included roundtable discussions among climate advocates, experts, and policymakers on these topics. Their findings will be published in a detailed report expected in early November.

With inputs from WAM