It is interesting to note that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has demonstrated a highly pragmatic approach to the climate change challenge by making clear to the world that less-polluting fossil fuels would remain part of the energy mix, along with renewables and other solutions.

The United Arab Emirates’ Minister of State and CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who will preside this year’s COP28 climate talks, has also made it clear that his country is controlling emissions, reducing flaring of natural gas, increasing energy efficiency, etc., with a view to containing the debilitating effects of climate change.

What is more important to note in the context of the Middle East and North Africa in general and the UAE in particular is the fact that climate change has received a lot of traction in government policymaking priorities and processes. Launching ‘UAE Net Zero by 2050’ initiative in order to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 is a strong case in point.

It is needless to say that climate change poses a profound existential threat to humanity. Unfortunately, however, some of the industrialized and emerging economies are still showing ambivalence to the grimness of the climate change phenomenon that found one of its best expressions in Pakistan last year.

Yes, it was last year that Pakistan was hit by its worst floods in recent memory and the country was literally in ruins due to the climate catastrophe.

Sania Jalbani (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023