The oil-rich UAE hopes to become the first country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 with the launch of an ambitious nationwide drive for environment sustainability.

The initiative aligns with the Principles of the 50 - the UAE’s roadmap for accelerating national economic development to mark the country’s golden jubilee year, as the nation enters a new 50-year cycle of growth. The major economic opportunities offered by the path to net zero directly support a vision to develop the Emirates into the most dynamic economy in the world.

The UAE Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative aligns with the Paris Agreement, which calls on countries to prepare long-term strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 C compared to pre-industrial levels.

Coordination of efforts
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) will lead and coordinate efforts to execute the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and ensure collaboration at national level to fulfil this objective. Stakeholders in key sectors, such as energy, economy, industry, infrastructure, transport, waste, agriculture, and the environment, will update relevant plans, strategies, and policies, and implement initiatives and projects to achieve net zero by 2050 in line with their needs and growth requirements.

What is net zero?

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Federal and local government authorities will be responsible for preparing comprehensive studies and developing plans that introduce the measures necessary to reduce emissions while also ensuring economic growth based on principles of sustainability.

Renewable energy
The deployment and use of clean energy solutions is one of the main pillars of the UAE’s model of addressing the challenge of climate change and reducing GHG emissions. The country began financing clean energy projects more than 15 years ago, and has invested more than US$40 billion in the sector to date. Current trends predict the production capacity of clean energy, including solar and nuclear, to reach 14 GW by 2030, up from about 100 MW in 2015 and 2.4 GW in 2020.
The UAE supports green infrastructure and clean energy projects worldwide, and has invested in renewable energy ventures worth around US$16.8 billion in 70 countries with a focus on developing nations. It has also provided more than US$400 million in aid and soft loans for clean energy projects.
The UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative builds on the country’s three decades of climate efforts and represents a strategic target for the next three decades.

UAE's net-zero timeline