The UAE has carved a niche for itself as a role model in its response to the current sweeping health crisis, according to Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, who said that Earth Day 2020 is starkly different this year, because its golden jubilee has been overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected close to 2.5 million people and killed 171,000 to date.

In his message to mark the Earth Day, he said that since the onset of the global outbreak, the country has followed the guidelines of the World Health Organisation, WHO, and harnessed its human and material resources to implement a stringent set of measures to counter the spread of the virus, limit the number of infected cases, and help keep people healthy.

He further stated that having taken care of the situation at home, the UAE has extended a helping hand to other countries. Through providing urgent medical aid and assisting in the evacuation of people of various nationalities from China, the UAE offered support to multiple countries in their response to the pandemic.

Dr Al Zeyoudi said, "As the COVID-19 pandemic takes over the world today, solidarity and working hand in hand have never been more important. At this time, we must reflect on how we can collectively address the full spectrum of repercussions of all threats to our health and the health of our environment while building a better future."

Dr Al Zeyoudi noted that preserving the environment and sustaining biodiversity have always been among the UAE’s core priorities. The founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has charted out the country’s path towards sustainability through establishing agricultural research centres that revolutionized the sector. His steadfast commitment to cultivating the desert has made a permanent mark on the UAE’s landscape, as the country’s farms currently span over one million square kilometers.

The Minister pointed out that in addition to boosting agriculture, the UAE has based its environmental protection efforts on deploying renewable energy solutions at home and further afield. The country operates several mega renewables projects, such as the 100 MW Shams 1 concentrated solar power plant, the 1.1 GW Noor Abu Dhabi, and the 5 GW Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Internationally, the UAE has invested in 70 renewables projects across 60 countries so far, significantly contributing to the pursuit of sustainable development across the globe.

Moreover, Dr Al Zeyoudi highlighted the key role of clean energy technologies as well as policies aimed at phasing out hydrocarbons in reducing carbon emissions, particularly in the transport sector. Announced in 2017, the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 sets a target to increase the share of clean energy in the country’s energy mix to 50 percent, with 44 percent from renewables, by 2050.

WAM