The UAE said on Monday it has raised its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction target to 31% by 2030, from 23.5%, in an updated version of the oil producer’s second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.
In support of the objectives of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, the new document outlines the country’s increased climate target of reducing GHG emissions by 31% compared to the business-as-usual scenario for the year 2030, which is projected to amount to 301 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), assuming a moderate annual economic growth rate based on historical trends.
The reduction target translates into an absolute emission avoidance of 93.2 million metric tonnes of CO2e, according to a local news agency report.
The UAE’s updated second NDC responds to the call of the Glasgow Climate Pact, a main outcome of the COP26, for countries to strengthen the ambition of their NDCs by end-2022.
The document features a breakdown of the GHG emission reduction target by sector. The electricity sector is projected to be the highest contributor to the target at 66.4%, followed by the industrial sector at 16.6%, transport at 9.7%, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) at 5.3%, and waste at 2.1%.
“Today, we mark a new milestone in our voluntary commitment to environmental protection and climate action as we respond to the call of the Glasgow Climate Pact in our enhanced GHG emission reduction target,” said Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment.
She added, “As the host of COP28, the UAE will continue building on its climate ambition towards 2023 and beyond. With the submission of the updated second NDC, we are demonstrating our commitment to progressively raising our ambition further each year as new solutions and initiatives become available.”
Abu Dhabi’s state-owned energy giant ADNOC plans to decrease its GHG emissions intensity by 25% by 2030. Additionally, the company has set an ambition to ramp up its CCUS capability to 5 million tonnes per annum by the end of the decade.
