UAE Advances Long-Term Development Goals At Copenhagen Climate Ministerial Meeting

Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Foreign Minister for Energy and Sustainability, led the UAE delegation at the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial. The event, held from 7–8 May, gathered global ministers and climate leaders to advance COP28’s goals and prepare for COP30. This meeting marked a decade since the Paris Agreement's adoption and highlighted the ongoing efforts to maintain the 1.5°C target.

During the Troika High-Level Dialogue on Long-Term Development Planning, Balalaa represented the COP28 Presidency. This session, co-chaired by COP28, COP29, and COP30 Presidencies, examined how Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) can be strategic tools for sustainable development and investment mobilization. "As the initiators of the Troika Roadmap to Mission 1.5, the UAE firmly believes that NDCs must move beyond pledges. They must serve as national development blueprints – integrating investment, inclusion, and resilience," stated Balalaa.

The UAE has positioned itself as a leader in climate finance by contributing USD 100 million to both the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) and the Global Flaring and Methane Reduction (GFMR) Fund. Additionally, it launched the USD 30 billion ALTÉRRA platform to stimulate transformational finance and encourage private sector involvement.

Balalaa also engaged in bilateral meetings with key partners during the event. He met with Norway's Minister of Climate Change, Denmark's Deputy Minister of Energy, Climate, and Utilities; Denmark’s Minister of Environment and Gender Equality. Discussions were also held with CEOs from private sector companies like Vestas, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), and AVK.

The UAE is committed to sustainable development through its co-hosting of the United Nations Water Conference 2026 with Senegal. This significant event will connect water security with climate resilience and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aligning them with Paris Agreement objectives. The UAE views water action as integral to climate action.

Balalaa reiterated UAE’s dedication to implementing the Baku Climate Unity Pact during these engagements. This includes initiating FRLD and advancing New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). These efforts reflect UAE’s diplomatic initiatives to garner international support for global climate action following the historic "UAE Consensus" at COP28 in Dubai in 2023.

The UAE continues its diplomatic efforts to build international support for global climate initiatives. These actions aim to accelerate progress in adaptation, energy transition, and resilience ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil this November.

With inputs from WAM