His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi joined dignitaries at the opening plenary of Singapore’s Urban Sustainability Week, where he highlighted the UAE’s successful journey towards sustainability and addressing the impact of climate change.

He said, “The UAE is only 47-years old, but our leaders have always addressed sustainability throughout its history. Some of the highlights of our efforts include the National Climate Change Plan 2050 and the UAE Energy Plan 2050 – this includes 50% clean energy target by 2050.”

His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi pointed out that the UAE plays a pivotal role in bolstering environmental sustainability globally. He said, “The UAE supports other developing countries to increase their environmental sustainability through soft loans and grants. It also hosts international platforms, such as the annual Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the World Government Summit, that drive forward sustainable and clean energy solutions.”

Addressing the issue of water scarcity in the UAE, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi added: “Water scarcity is a challenge for the UAE; we are exploring innovation for sustainable supply of water, including the usage of renewable energy in desalination. Work led by Masdar is indicating promising results - 75% efficiency over conventional methodologies. We have also adopted the rain enhancement program that is safe to the environment and has proven effective in increasing rainfall in the UAE.”

He noted that the UAE has one of the highest per capita waste generation rate in the world and many endeavors are being taken to address this issue, elaborating that the country has set an ambitious 75% reduction of waste generation target.

Moreover, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi indicated that plantation of mangroves has been prioritized in the UAE. The country’s blue carbon ecosystem, including mangroves, bring positive impacts to the marine environment and contribute to CO2 reduction.

As for UAE’s efforts to spread awareness of sustainable practices, he said: “It is important to inform everyone about the concept of sustainable consumption and production. The UAE has been working diligently to raise the awareness of such practices amongst industries and the public alike, to ensure sustainable usage of our resources.”

His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi delivered a speech at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Asia-Pacific Climate Week 2018 - Session on Transport in Cities. He said: “Our country has proven that ambitious climate action can go hand in hand with continued economic growth and prosperity, and a better quality of life for all. Our success factors are centered around the clear strategic vision at the highest level, reinforced by effective urban planning and regulatory reforms, innovation and R&D, mobilization of finance through public-private partnerships, and engagement of all relevant stakeholders.”

Focusing on the theme of the session, ‘Transport in Cities’, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said: “Greening of the transportation sector is one of the key components of the Green Agenda 2030 that serves as the basis of our Climate Plan, and it is a good example of how we can increase resource efficiency, provide convenience, and at the same time, create more jobs and growth. 

“Transportation was also strongly featured in the UAE’s first Nationally Determined Contribution submitted in 2015, in which we identified a number of concrete actions, notably: Fuel subsidy reform, a nation- wide rail network, conversion to compressed natural gas fueled fleets; and multi-billion-dollar investments in light-rail and metro systems.”

Moreover, His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi attended a special gathering of ministers and negotiators at the Asia-Pacific Climate Week, aimed at taking stock on the current negotiation process and the region’s efforts for a cooperative climate action.

Singapore Urban Sustainability Week is an umbrella for events including CleanEnviro Summit Singapore, Singapore International Water Week, and World Cities Summit. Aimed at connecting business experts, policy-makers, industry leaders, and innovators through strategic collaborative efforts and cutting-edge technologies, it provides a unique global platform to drive integrated urban solutions. In addition, the Asia-Pacific Climate Week 2018 took place on the sidelines of the Urban Sustainability Week to provide parties and non-parties of UNFCCC with a platform to showcase their update on urban mobility in the global climate processes.