Relations are an exceptional model of effective strategic partnerships between countries in various fields
UAE and France. A new global model for low-emission economic growth
The UAE and France collaborate to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy generation solutions by collaborating with IRENA, whose permanent headquarters in Masdar City are hosted by the UAE. Archival
The UAE-France relations constitute an exceptional model of effective strategic partnerships between countries in various fields, especially the realistic transition in the energy sector and climate action, taking advantage of low-carbon growth opportunities, and joint work in advancing international efforts in the field of climate action, in preparation for the COP28 conference hosted by the UAE at the end of this year.
In February 2023, the two friendly countries launched a partnership to reduce carbon emissions from emission-intensive industries, which will be announced during COP28, while in July 2022 the two countries signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Energy that focuses on enhancing energy security, affordable savings and reducing emissions.
COP28 is of great importance in achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, as it takes place at a critical juncture in which the international community seeks to make progress in implementing the commitments made in the agreement.
The Conference of the Parties is scheduled to witness the first global assessment of the progress of countries in implementing their commitments under the Paris Agreement, in addition to identifying the contributions of nationally determined countries for the future, as the historic Paris Agreement succeeded in uniting governments on what the world must do to meet the climate challenge, and the task of the COP28 will be to focus on "how" to implement this.
The UAE is the first country in the region to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement, the first country to commit to reducing emissions across all economic sectors, and the first country to announce its strategic initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 as a catalyst for low-carbon economic growth, creating new technologies, sectors, skills and jobs.
The UAE is keen to cooperate with France during the "New Global Financial Compact Summit" dedicated to reaching a new global financial agreement to be held in Paris in June 2023, with the aim of mobilizing private sector financing, expanding concessional financing, and promoting carbon markets in order to build the momentum that the summit will achieve to achieve practical achievements at COP28.
During the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to the French Republic last year 2022 at the invitation of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, the UAE and France signed an agreement aimed at enhancing the economic and social benefits of climate action, raising ambitions to implement the Paris Agreement, in addition to supporting the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which the UAE will host at the end of this year in Expo City Dubai.
As the host country of COP28, the UAE is keen to cooperate and work closely with France, which has great experience in climate action, to ensure that pledges are translated into tangible practical results that benefit all countries and societies, as the UAE recognizes that effective climate action is a key enabler to build a low-emission economic growth model that focuses on achieving sustainability and contributes to creating new jobs, sectors and skills that keep pace with the future.
The two countries are collaborating in the preparation of COP28, including pre-negotiation, regulatory and logistical aspects, promoting energy efficiency and accelerating the deployment of renewable energy generation, integration and storage solutions, through cooperation with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), whose permanent headquarters in Masdar City is hosted by the UAE.
The UAE and France are also cooperating in the fields of sustainable agriculture, agri-food industry, food and water security, with the aim of jointly benefiting from solutions to mitigate environmental impacts, adapt to the repercussions of climate change and preserve biodiversity, in addition to reducing carbon emissions in the heavy industry sector, promoting adaptation and resilience, developing nature-based solutions, green finance and investment, and empowering civil society in the fields of climate action, scientific and research cooperation.
The UAE has always been a steadfast partner for French industries to achieve their energy transition ambitions.
The UAE and France also launched a joint program that brings together the expertise of the two countries to develop sustainable trade opportunities for investment, with the aim of accelerating clean energy solutions, especially in the field of decarbonization from sectors where it is difficult to reduce emissions, including the use of clean hydrogen solutions in the field of mobility, in light of the preparations for the UAE's hosting of COP28.
The UAE and France partnership in the clean and renewable energy sector, through leading companies operating in this sector from both countries, has contributed to the development, investment and operation of more than 6.2 gigawatts of clean and renewable energy projects around the world, including two projects in the UAE that are among the largest single-site solar projects in the world, in addition to investments worth $ 6 billion, and contribute to avoiding carbon emissions estimated at 10 million tons per year.
The official launch of the programme's operational operations is scheduled to take place during the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). The program aims to embody the joint commitment of the UAE and France to accelerate the process of identifying and financing projects, supporting companies contributing to the development of new clean energy solutions, working to reduce the carbon footprint of economic sectors with high-emission products and operations, and contributing to the achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The UAE and France have launched a joint programme that brings together the expertise of both countries to develop sustainable investment business opportunities.