• UAE’s flagship non-state actor programme, led by Emirates Nature-WWF, establishes Advisory Committee to provide high-level strategic and technical guidance that supports UACA’s objective of increasing momentum towards a net zero future
  • Chaired by H.E. Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28, the committee represents inclusivity with whole-of-society leaders from Emirates Nature-WWF, UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, HSBC MENAT, Clean Energy Business Council, Boston Consulting Group, American University of Sharjah.

Dubai: The UAE Alliance for Climate Action (UACA), spearheaded by Emirates Nature-WWF, convened senior leaders for the inaugural meeting of its Advisory Committee, which seeks to advance the alliance’s impressive growth and on-ground impact to ensure a strong post-COP28 legacy for domestic climate action.

Chaired by Her Excellency Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 and President of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and with expert guidance from members across the non-state actor ecosystem, UACA is firmly on course to ratchet up net zero ambitions in the UAE, in alignment with Paris Agreement targets and the Marrakesh Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA), which calls for greater collaboration between government and non-government stakeholders.

The appointment of H.E. Ms. Al Mubarak as chair enables UACA to draw on her extensive expertise working with non-state actors to accelerate domestic decarbonization as part of the global Race to Zero campaign – which is led by the UN High-Level Champions and which UACA is part of as an accelerator.

“The power of a bottom-up approach cannot be underestimated. Non-state actors are absolutely critical in inspiring a groundswell of domestic climate action, which is essential to achieve a net zero future,” H.E. Ms. Al Mubarak commented. “By surging action at the sub-national level, UACA contributes to the ambition loop needed to give confidence to all stakeholders to raise ambitions even further, bringing us closer to a 1.5°C world.”

UACA’s Advisory Committee supports this vision by giving high-level strategic and technical advice that draws on the leadership and sectoral expertise of its diverse leaders.

Members of the committee include Laila Abdullatif, Director General of Emirates Nature-WWF; Her Excellency Dr Nawal Al-Hosany, Acting Undersecretary Assistant of Green Development and Climate Change Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE); Mohammed Al Marzouqi, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC UAE; Dr Nasser Saidi, Chairman of the Clean Energy Business Council; Dr Leila Hoteit, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG); and Dr Fadi Aloul, Dean of the College of Engineering at the American University of Sharjah.

“Together, we are stronger, faster and more capable of effecting a greater, nation-wide impact for decarbonization,” said Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, Director General of Emirates Nature-WWF. “UACA has grown from 8 to 42 members in the brief eight months since its launch, demonstrating a remarkable readiness amongst local non-state actors to act in support of UAE’s net zero targets. We invite more businesses and organizations to support the alliance, as members and advisors, to accelerate momentum towards our shared climate objectives.”

The newest additions to the alliance include: Barma Automotive, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Higher Colleges of Technology, Lafarge UAE (member of Holcim Group), Landmark Group, Live Nation Middle East and RNZ Group.

UACA has also embarked upon a new partnership with the Global Compact Network UAE to improve synergies with other organizations in the coming year, with a focus on further reducing emissions in the country.

Amplifying Climate Action and Collaborative Action in the UAE

Convened by Emirates Nature-WWF, and with funding from founding donor HSBC Bank Middle East Limited (HBME), UACA is a part of the global Alliance for Climate Action (ACA) network, coordinated by WWF International, with other leading climate organizations. Technical partners, such as the Clean Energy Business Council and the Boston Consulting Group, contribute to UACA's comprehensive approach. UACA is endorsed by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

Since its inception at COP27, UACA has supported members in their decarbonization journey through the provision of tools, visibility and capacity building that increases readiness to set credible, transparent and verifiable net zero targets. The alliance has also taken steps to mobilize collaborative action and enhance an enabling policy environment for economy-wide decarbonization convening members regularly at key climate events and ensuring ‘one collective voice.’

Five webinars and four workshops were organized on priority areas identified by members earlier this year, including the GHG Protocol, Carbon Accounting, Scope 3 Emissions and Change Management.

UACA has also pioneered the development of two digital platforms in response to specific local requirements and existing gaps in the market. These include eMission by UACA, a free digital platform that supports organizations in baselining and monitoring emissions through to 2030.

Further initiatives and workstreams will be announced in the coming months, at MENA Climate Week 2023 in Riyadh and COP28 in Dubai.

To learn more about the UAE Alliance for Climate Action (UACA), or to join the alliance, visit https://www.uaca.ae/

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About Emirates Nature-WWF

Emirates Nature-WWF is an environmental NGO charity established to conserve the United Arab Emirates’ natural heritage and build a future where people and nature thrive. The organization was founded in 2001 by our Honorary Founder and President, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Governing Board of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, as a legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed’s vision for the United Arab Emirates.

For two decades, Emirates Nature-WWF has been a prominent and active partner in environmental conservation in the MENA region. We work in association with WWF, one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations.

As a local conservation think-tank and pioneers of the “Leaders of Change” programme, the world’s first-ever digital membership platform for the environment – we empower, convene and mobilize civil society, government entities and businesses to support the UAE’s sustainability agenda and deliver transformative impact at scale for the benefit of people and planet alike.