UAE taking leading role on climate change, says John Kerry

Gulf countries and the US are working together ahead of climate conference in Glasgow

Mr Kerry has vowed to make up for the 'lost years' of the Donald Trump presidency and put the US at the forefront of efforts to protect the environment. The National

The UAE has taken a leading regional role in pushing climate change policies, President Joe Biden's Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry said on Thursday.

Mr Kerry travelled to the Gulf last month where he spoke to leaders in the region about climate change. In the United Arab Emirates, Mr Kerry met with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, as well as top UAE officials including Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.

“There is a level of leadership engagement, creativity and readiness to embrace the urgency of the challenge that makes the UAE a leader, and that’s what we need right now to use the next 10 years to the fullest,” Mr Kerry said during a telephone briefing on Thursday.

The Emirates has transitioned very significantly from dependency on oil and gas, he said.

“They are already diversifying and other countries need help to be able to diversify, that's when the developed world needs to come to the table and be helpful,” Mr Kerry said.

During his trip to the Emirates, Mr Kerry and key UAE leaders reaffirmed the US and UAE's commitment to the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate, which the two countries jointly announced at President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate and will launch formally at COP26 in Glasgow.

“I went to discuss the agriculture initiative we put together and to talk about India and deployment of 450 gigawatts of renewable energy that the UAE is going to partner in,” he said.

Fighting climate change in Saudi Arabia – in pictures

Researcher Michelle Havlik of Australia dives into the water during a research trip in the Red Sea, offshore of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Reuters

Researcher Nathan Geraldi of the US dives during a research trip in the Red Sea, offshore of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Reuters

Scientists at KAUST are working on a new technology to help restore coral globally. Reuters

If it succeeds, KAUST's experiment may allow coral from Saudi Arabia to be transplanted to other parts of the world. Reuters

The Red Sea is warmer than almost any other large body of water in the world. Reuters

Red Sea coral has adapted, over hundreds of thousands of years, to the higher temperatures. Reuters

KAUST scientists are developing techniques that will grow reefs in a few years rather than hundreds of years. Reuters

Experts plan to place hundreds of similar tanks in public places, such as airports and resorts, that will allow tiny corals to grow until they're large enough to be transplanted into the wild. Reuters

Another Saudi project is the planned fossil-fuel-free Neom City on the Red Sea near Egypt and Israel, and bordering Jordan. Reuters

The Saudis hope these embryonic projects will spur tourism and put the country at the fore of renewable-energy generation, carbon-sequestration technology and solar-powered production of hydrogen gas. Reuters

Carlos Duarte, professor of Marine Science and Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology at KAUST, washes his dog at his home at the campus. Reuters

A view of the security wall at KAUST. Reuters

A beacon rises above the harbour at KAUST. Reuters

Wooden shutters and balconies adorn the front of a building in the Old City of Jeddah. Reuters

They also discussed jointly identifying opportunities for strategic investment in India’s clean energy transition and mobilising investments in clean energy around the world; collaborating on climate and security, developing and scaling clean energy technologies; and working constructively to demonstrate ambition and make COP26 a success.

The UAE has pioneered carbon capture and storage to decarbonise heavy industry by investing around $17 billion in commercial renewable energy projects in six continents and provided over $1 billion of grants and soft loans for renewable energy power plants.

It has been leading initiatives in climate-smart agriculture and has put biodiversity conservation at the top of its priority.

Last month, the Emirates launched the region's first industrial-scale green hydrogen project. This will use solar power from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to produce hydrogen on a commercial scale.

Mr Kerry also travelled to Saudi Arabia and Egypt to discuss the upcoming COP26 in Glasgow.

On Saudi Arabia, Mr Kerry met with senior officials in the kingdom and said the country is set to make some announcements on its climate change initiatives during the next few months.

“Saudi Arabia will announce the green hydrogen initiative, which is a very significant, important potential contributor to the transition in our energy mix right now,” he said.

Mr Kerry is seeking to re-engage America with the issue of climate change after the previous administration of president Donald Trump withdrew from the landmark 2015 Paris Climate Agreement that sets strict emissions targets to try to avert the worst impacts of climate change. Mr Trump said the deal was bad for America and “undermined” the economy.

Mr Kerry described the move as a “huge symbolic blow to the momentum” of climate change but not to Washington’s participation after rejoining the agreement.

“We are moving back very rapidly, there is no question about it. We come to the table with humility but we are pushing very hard to make up for it,” he said.

“We are all in this together, we all have to join together and this will be a test for every country to see if they are willing to be part of a solution,” he said.