US Presidential envoy for climate John Kerry on Wednesday called the UAE and Egypt's work to hasten the energy transformation "bold leadership".
"They're deeply engaged on the cutting edge of trying to help accelerate the transformation," Mr Kerry said in a briefing.
"In addition, the UAE has been on the cutting edge of a whole bunch of technology investments. And for a gas and oil-producing country, I think it's exceptional."
"I think that's bold leadership."
Mr Kerry said that the US is working "very closely with Dr Sultan Al Jaber and with His Excellency the President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed".
With just a couple of weeks before the UN climate summit starts in Egypt’s coastal town of Sharm El Sheikh, Mr Kerry laid out Washington's top priorities for Cop27.
He said that the Biden administration's goal at the climate summit was to assure that the promises that were made in Glasgow were "actually being pursued at the pace they need to be pursued".
Mr Kerry spoke of the devastating effects of climate change in Africa, which is home to 17 of the world’s 20 most climate-vulnerable countries.
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President Sheikh Mohamed, who was Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces at the time, at the launch of the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative at Expo 2020 Dubai. With him are Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, right, Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister for Climate Change and Environment, left, and Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, chairman of Masdar and chief executive of Adnoc, second left. All photos: Ministry of Presidential Affairs -
A display about the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative in the UAE pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. -
President Sheikh Mohamed, centre, in the UAE pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. With him are Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, right, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, second right, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, fourth right, and Abdullah Al Marri, Minister of Economy, left. -
President Sheikh Mohamed, right, with Dr Sultan Al Jaber and Abdullah Al Marri, left. -
President Sheikh Mohamed, centre, at Expo 2020 Dubai with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, right, and Dr Sultan Al Jaber. -
President Sheikh Mohamed, front row, third right, with: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, second right; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, fourth right; Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, right; Mohamed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, fifth right; and Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister for Climate Change and Environment, left. Back row, from right to left: Abdullah Al Marri, Minister of Economy; Suhail bin Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; and Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Co-operation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai. -
President Sheikh Mohamed with Mariam Al Mheiri and Suhail bin Mohamed Al Mazrouei.
He said developed nations, which are responsible for 80 per cent of greenhouse emissions, should take the lead in helping developing states adapt to the effects of climate change and be ahead of the curve for the new energy future.
Mr Kerry said climate disasters should be a motivation to act with urgency and do everything to stop global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
"If we don't do that, we will bring much greater destruction on ourselves, [making] the planet much more inhospitable, even unlivable."
At the Council on Foreign Relations on Tuesday, he said that Washington was open to seeking a middle ground on the growing demand for wealthy climate offenders to compensate poorer nations for damage to the Earth’s climate.
Under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, developing countries were promised a pool of $100 billion a year to finance initiatives to help them cope with the effects of global warming.
That target has not been achieved.
“We believe we have to step up and we have a responsibility. We accept that,” Mr Kerry said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said this month that financial commitments to the developing world must be delivered.
“We need to see evidence of how they will double adaptation finance to at least $40bn in 2025, as agreed in Glasgow at Cop26," Mr Guterres said.
More than 35,000 people are expected to take part in Cop27, which will be held in Egypt from November 6 to 18.
This will be the fifth time the event has been hosted in Africa.
The region's governments hope it will draw attention to the severe effects of climate change on the continent.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said Africa was one of the most vulnerable regions in the world.
Currently, 17 million people are estimated to be facing food insecurity in East Africa because of drought, the UN says.
Next year the UAE will host Cop28.
Etihad to launch net-zero flight to Cop27 - in pictures
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Etihad Airways has joined up with World Energy to operate its first net-zero emissions flight powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). All photos: Etihad Airways -
'This initiative is about proving net-zero commercial aviation is possible,' said Mariam Alqubaisi, head of Sustainability and Business Excellence at Etihad Airways. -
The airline's net-zero flight will be operated on its Boeing 787 'Greenliner'. -
Since 2019, when the Greenliner programme began, Etihad and Boeing have operated several flights aboard the 787 Dreamliner jet.
