Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP 28 President-Designate, has called on global leaders to collectively take action to transform, decarbonize and future-proof economies. Speaking at the UAE CLIMATE TECH conference in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Al Jaber urged policymakers, innovators, and industrial leaders to accelerate the development and deployment of technological solutions to decarbonize economies and reduce emissions by at least 43% by 2030, in line with the IPCC report.
Dr. Al Jaber emphasized the need for a responsible and pragmatic energy transition that phases out fossil fuel emissions and phases up zero-carbon alternatives. He stated that clean tech investments broke the $1 trillion barrier for the first time in 2022, and there is substantial room for growth, which he believes represents the greatest opportunity for human and economic development since the first industrial revolution.
According to Dr. Al Jaber, climate technologies could at least double their contribution to global growth while removing up to 25 billion tons of carbon emissions annually, with the right policies stimulating the right investments. By leveraging climate technologies, he believes that a new economic development model based on putting an end to emissions can be built, while breathing new life into economic growth.
Dr. Al Jaber also emphasized the critical role of hydrogen and carbon capture technologies in enabling a responsible and pragmatic energy transition, particularly in heavy-emitting industries, where renewable energy sources alone are insufficient.
He explained that hydrogen can play a role in reducing emissions, but it needs to be scaled up and commercialized to make a real impact in the energy system. Carbon capture technologies are also critical in curbing industrial emissions, and without them, the math just doesn’t add up in any realistic scenario that gets us to net-zero.
Dr. Al Jaber’s message highlights the urgency of taking bold and collective climate action, leveraging technological solutions to decarbonize economies and reduce emissions. It underscores the need for responsible and pragmatic energy transition, which is essential for achieving the net-zero target and limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The COP28 conference, which will take place in the UAE in 2024, will be a critical platform for global leaders to agree on a shared vision and collective action plan to accelerate the transition to a net-zero future. The conference will provide an opportunity to showcase innovative climate technologies, policies, and investments that can transform and decarbonize economies while creating new economic opportunities and driving sustainable development.
In conclusion, Dr. Al Jaber’s message highlights the need for a collective effort to accelerate the transition to a net-zero future, leveraging technological solutions and responsible energy transition. His call to action emphasizes the significant economic and social benefits that can be realized by investing in clean technologies and reducing emissions. It is a message that should resonate with global leaders, policymakers, innovators, and industrial leaders alike, as they work together towards a more sustainable and prosperous future
