Environment, energy and ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision
Under the ‘Forward diplomacy’ pillar of ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, the UAE seeks to be a leading country in supporting the global agenda for environmental sustainability, pioneering green innovation and a clean and zero-emissions future. It aims to:
- make quantum leaps towards ‘Net Zero’, establishing itself as an environmentally responsible nation and a role model for adopting eco-friendly economic and social best practices and
- serve as a centre for innovation in sustainability by utilising science and technology, knowledge and expertise to drive the green revolution forward.
Artificial Intelligence Operating System (AIOS) for decarbonisation
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) developed the ‘Artificial Intelligence Operating System’ (AIOS) to reduce the high cost of artificial intelligence (AI) programmes by decreasing the amount of energy that is spent in their development. The AIOS aims to support data centres at MBZUAI and in the UAE with the ability to enter ‘eco-mode’ for AI training and reduce energy waste.
Current AI computing is extremely environmentally unfriendly. For example, training GPT3 once can cost as much energy as the home electricity usage of a small city (150,000 homes) and millions of dollars.
The AIOS technology will reduce the energy and time required for AI computing by making models smaller, faster, and less reliant on high-end hardware, while also making them more performant and easier to adapt to changing environments and users.
The AIOS can form the foundation of next-generation AI software production via automatic code generation, federated and collaborative machine learning, and standardised and certifiable software engineering, which will be used across industries such as energy, agriculture, water and food, and more.
Climate disaster fund contributions
The UAE pledged USD 100 million to the Climate Impact Response Fund. The UAE led a combined contribution along with other countries to the new fund launched during COP28.
Framework of the National Biodiversity Strategy 2031
The framework of the National Biodiversity Strategy 2031 includes, protecting, monitoring and developing ecosystems and local species, conserving local genetic resources, promoting research and innovation, and enhancing awareness and building competencies.
The strategic objectives include rehabilitating and restoring 80 per cent of degraded land and marine areas, preserving at least 21 per cent of land and marine ecosystems, and improving the status of endangered native species by 10 per cent.
Green Capabilities Global Alliance for Government
The Green Capabilities Global Alliance for Government is a platform to support government efforts in upskilling employees to drive environmental sustainability and climate change resilience. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the UAE government - represented by Government Development and the Future Office and Apolitical, an online education platform. It aims to highlight the critical role of government employees in shaping and implementing climate policies, as data from Apolitical showed that 8 of every 10 government employees worldwide do not have the necessary tools or training to address climate change.
Green Fujairah
Fujairah Environment Authority launched the Green Fujairah Initiative, which includes several pillars that will address climate change. It reflects the commitment of the emirate of Fujairah to mobilise climate action efforts across various sectors.
This initiative offers a comprehensive, forward-looking programme designed to mitigate the impact of climate change and promote a more sustainable future, spanning multiple sectors.
The initiative’s impact extends across energy, industry, food and agriculture sectors, contributing to building a strong foundation for driving sustainability, accelerating sustainable development and ensuring a better future for generations to come.
Waste to Zero
The global Initiative to decarbonise waste - ‘Waste to Zero’ - aims at accelerating decarbonisation and reducing emissions resulting from waste management activities. The first-of-its-kind initiative addresses the challenges of the waste management industry and its impact on the environment and climate.
Climate-Responsible Companies Pledge
The UAE’s ‘Climate-Responsible Companies Pledge’ aims to increase the engagement of the private sector in the country’s decarbonisation drive, in line with the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative.
The pledge forms the basis of future collaborations between the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGO) and international organisations, which aim to support private sector entities in implementing their net zero plans.
The pledge is part of the initiatives of Ministry of Climate Change and Environment aimed at scaling up the UAE’s climate action, in response to the call of the Glasgow Climate Pact for countries to adopt higher GHG emission reduction targets.
Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap
The Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap aims at reducing industrial carbon emissions by 2.9 gigatonnes cumulatively by 2050.
Focusing on manufacturing and hard-to-abate sectors, including cement, iron, steel and aluminium, the strategic initiative reflects the country’s commitment to climate action and achieving sustainability goals.
Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology built the roadmap alongside strategic partners in the government and private sectors. It was created in line with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 by strategic initiative, as well as the UAE’s third update of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The roadmap comprises three phases as follows:
- The first phase aims to reduce emissions by 5 per cent by 2030
- The second phase targets a reduction of 63 per cent by 2040
- In the third phase, emissions reduction is expected to reach 93 per cent by 2050.
In the roadmap, there are separate decarbonization timelines for different hard-to-abate sectors, such as iron, steel, aluminium, cement and petrochemicals. The roadmap indicates that carbon capture, utilisation and storage, and clean electricity and efficiency enhancements alone could be responsible for a carbon reduction of 70 per cent by 2050. The action plan set out in the roadmap will cut 90 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
National Guide for Smart Construction
The National Guide for Smart Construction in the UAE is to be applied to all construction projects in the country, including buildings, roads, bridges, and tunnels. The guide aims to standardise building design through the adoption of smart building indicators and ensure the best models of smart construction and digital design.
The UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA)
Established by the UAE, the Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA) is a non-partisan, climate action entity that brings together members of the public and private sector to drive the UAE’s commitment towards net zero by 2050. In the lead-up to the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28), the UICCA will establish an independent body that enables collaboration, cooperation and innovation. This includes advice and recommendations on positive climate actions to reduce the climate-related risk for the UAE before, during and after COP28.
Related links
- Green Government & Climate Technology Report - (PDF, 16.0 MB).
Environmental awareness
Environmental awareness aims at developing the culture of the society regarding environment and promoting environmental behaviour of individuals, which helps to conserve and properly manage natural resources.
The bodies concerned with the environment protection organise educational campaigns at the emirate or federal level in coordination with the respective federal agency.
The type and slogans of these campaigns are based on the needs of the UAE's community in the areas of environmental awareness and education.
In recent years, environmental education has become one of the salient elements in curriculum development in the United Arab Emirates. Accordingly, efforts have been directed to include environmental content in school curricula and textbooks.
Therefore, Ministry of Education has been keen to incorporate the environmental dimension in school curricula of all stages, by addressing the environmental issues that affect student's environment, in order to open the way for discussion on sustainable solutions.
As part of the involvement of global stakeholders in the wheel of promoting environmental knowledge, the Eco-Schools Initiative was launched. It is a global initiative led by the Emirates Wildlife Society in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), aiming to encourage environmental action in schools.
Useful inks:
- Education and awareness materials - Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi
- Environment - Abu Dhabi Municipality
- Calendar of local, regional and global environmental events - Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
- Bee'ah School of Environment
Updated on:
25 Aug 2026
