ABU DHABI, 26th January, 2023 (WAM) -- Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Executive Director of the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), stressed that the naming 2023 as the Year of Sustainability will serve as a springboard for global climate action, and aligns with the UAE’s hosting of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28).

In her statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Sheikha Shamma said that the UAE has a long history in the fields of climate action and sustainable development, a path which the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan paved. These efforts, she added, were continued by the country’s leadership, headed by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, enabling the UAE to become an inspiring global model in dealing with climate change, through launching pioneering projects and initiatives and seeking active collaborations.

The UAE’s leadership is prioritising the issue of climate change and has taken proactive steps to accelerate the pace of its climate action efforts, Sheikha Shamma added, affirming that the country continues to attach great importance to sustainability.

She also highlighted the UAE’s pioneering efforts in the area of climate action and environmental preservation, which underscore its commitment to achieving sustainable development and limiting the impact of climate change.

Sheikha Shamma explained that containing the fallout of climate change, addressing related damage and losses, and meeting the relevant needs of developing countries are among the major global challenges related to climate action, which will be addressed at COP28.

Speaking about the role of UICCA, she pointed out that it is the product of many studies and plays a key role in achieving convergence and strengthening the communication between relevant authorities concerned with implementing related development plans. She highlighted the UICCA’s role as a research centre comprising experts who monitor all developments in the area of sustainability to develop relevant solutions that help pick up the pace of climate action and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

On the UICCA’s international partnerships, she noted that it has signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with leading international entities to exchange consultations and provide the necessary financing for sustainability projects. It has also cooperated with the US to attract American innovation projects and green technologies to the region, she added.

The UICCA also cooperates with the Atlantic Council and Canada's Convergence network to enhance its international participation and help draft policies that respond to environmental challenges, Sheikha Shamma said. The climate crisis is the world’s most critical challenge, and carbon-emission levels are more alarming than ever, she stressed.

Expressing the hope that all parties would cooperate and engage in addressing climate change, which threatens everyone, she stated, “We are all responsible, and it is time for action, cooperation and solidarity if we are to preserve and protect our planet for future generations.”

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