UAE and Kenya to co-operate on climate action

Countries launch a joint working group in lead-up to the African Climate Action Summit and Cop28

Kenya's President William Ruto and Cop28 President-designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber have called for continued action on climate change. Wam

The UAE and Kenya have stressed the importance of building close co-operation during the coming African Climate Action Summit and Cop28.

Kenya will host Africa Climate Week in Nairobi from September 4-8 this year, which is seen as an event that will build momentum ahead of the Cop28 event at Expo City in Dubai.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the two nations said these events provide an opportunity for the international community to agree on a future path that focuses on practical solutions to climate change.

Kenya's President William Ruto and Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and President-designate of Cop28, have called for continued action on climate change.

“Climate change is one of the greatest challenges confronting the world today,” read the statement.

“Both the African Climate Action Summit and Cop28 will be critical milestones in the year of the global stock-take for the international community to come together and provide a solutions-oriented path forward.

“We are determined to work hand in hand to ensure Cop28 and the African Climate Action Summit will deliver real and tangible results for the climate and for the people of Africa and the world.”

Mr Ruto praised the UAE for its long-standing support for sustainable development and climate action.

He also affirmed his support for the Cop28 leadership team and said Dr Al Jaber will bring significant expertise to his role of Cop28 president, given his credentials as a leader in the energy transition and renewables scale-up around the world.

“We will work together to facilitate the highest possible ambition across every climate pillar at Cop28,” he added.

Dr Al Jaber emphasised the importance of the African Climate Action Summit as a pivotal moment for the continent as well as milestone on the road to Cop28 that will accelerate the energy transition and bring African solutions to the event in November.

“We are pleased to announce that Cop28 and Kenya will join forces to champion action towards the necessary tripling of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030,” Dr Al Jaber said.

“This collective target requires a global effort to accelerate a just energy transition, which leaves no one behind. We call on all parties, in every region, to join this effort and work together in order to mobilise a global movement of action.”

Untapped potential

The statement said Africa has the potential to lead this transition and deliver enormous benefits for the region and globally.

In addition to being home to one of the planet’s most important carbon sinks, it has significant untapped hydro potential along the Congo and Nile rivers, geothermal potential along the Rift Valley and solar potential across the continent.

On a continent where almost half of the population still lacks electricity, clean energy provides an opportunity to supercharge economic growth and improve lives and livelihoods.

Clean energy investment in Africa represents 2 per cent of the global total and less than 10 per cent of the $120 billion a year that is required.

“We must transform the way we deploy public, concessional and philanthropic capital to drive the private investment that is needed for climate action in Africa,” the joint statement said.

“We need to fundamentally rethink the way financiers, governments, global institutions and technology providers engage with each other. We must all play our collective part, especially to ensure that climate action leverages and benefits all of society, including women, youth and children, and indigenous peoples.

“To underscore our commitment to results we have today launched a joint working group between the African Climate Action Summit and Cop28 with a focus on the just energy transition and unlocking climate finance to accelerating green growth in Africa in the lead up to the respective summits.”

The statement added that Mr Ruto and Dr Al Jaber will continue close co-ordination at the political level in the coming months “towards the delivery of a highly ambitious outcome in Nairobi and at Cop28 in Dubai”.