UAE Minister Of Climate Change Highlights Collaboration And Education At COP29 Events

Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, participated in several significant events at COP29 in Azerbaijan. These gatherings focused on critical climate issues such as agriculture, youth, and water. Throughout her engagements, Dr. Al Dahak emphasised the UAE's dedication to fostering collaboration and inclusion, which are seen as vital for advancing climate action through 2025 and into COP30 in Brazil.

During the High-Level Plenary Event titled "Delivering on Climate Action Through Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation," Dr. Al Dahak delivered the opening speech. She highlighted the UAE's leadership role in promoting agriculture and food systems to maintain the global temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius. She urged nations to enhance collaboration, stating, "As we embark on COP29 and look ahead to COP30, it is vital we continue the momentum established at COP28 and collaborate at scale."

At an event hosted by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and COP29 Presidency of Azerbaijan, Dr. Al Dahak joined COP29 President H.E. Mukhtar Babayev and other international representatives. They discussed cities' roles in achieving the Paris Agreement goals. The event was titled "Baku to Belem and Beyond: COP Presidencies Bringing Cities, Urbanization and Multilevel Climate Action to the Heart of the Climate Agenda."

Dr. Al Dahak shared updates on the CHAMP initiative launched at COP28, which was endorsed by 74 nations last year. This initiative highlights multilevel cooperation as a crucial link between pledges and tangible progress in climate action.

The minister also inaugurated the AIM for Scale event, focusing on scaling up weather services for farmers globally. During this event, she introduced AIM for Scale’s first Innovation Package: A Blueprint for Collective Action to Scale Access to High-quality, Farmer-centered Weather forecasts in LMICs.

Dr. Al Dahak stated: "AIM for Scale exists for one clear purpose: to find highly promising, climate-friendly agricultural innovations — and give them the support they need to reach as many farmers as possible worldwide." This initiative aims to provide essential support for innovative agricultural solutions.

Addressing Water Challenges

In another high-level special event at COP29, Dr. Al Dahak addressed the adverse impacts of climate change on declining water basins. She stressed collaboration's importance in bridging national and global climate security gaps while highlighting UAE's sponsorship of the upcoming UN Water Conference in 2026.

She remarked: "The spirit of collaboration and cooperation will be on full display when we co-host the 2026 UN Water Conference, in partnership with Senegal." This partnership aims to drive efforts towards accessible water and sanitation globally.

Youth Engagement in Renewable Energy

Dr. Al Dahak also participated in IRENA Youth Circle's event focused on intergenerational action for tripling renewable energy by 2030. This initiative is part of IRENA’s efforts to engage youth meaningfully with decision-makers regarding renewable energy transition challenges.

She discussed how educational institutions can work with governments to equip young people with skills needed for leadership roles in renewable energy sectors. Innovative methods were explored to make energy transition knowledge more accessible to youth globally.

The UAE delegation's active involvement at COP29 underscores their commitment to multilateral climate action following successes achieved at COP28. Their participation reflects a strong dedication to global climate leadership through deepening cooperation with international partners.

With inputs from WAM