Health, Energy, Infrastructure & Environment 

This report was developed by the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), with technical support from the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). It was developed based on international benchmarking, sectoral background papers, publically available data and research, and a series of group and bilateral consultation meetings with experts and representatives from the government, private sector, and academic institutes as indicated below. Their contributions are greatly acknowledged.

While the UAE is well adapted to its harsh desert conditions and has remarkably prospered in spite of its climate, future climate change may impose new and overwhelming pressures on the country’s environment, economy, and society.

Climate projections for the UAE and the Gulf region reveal increased temperature and humidity levels, longer hot and humid seasons, more intense rainfall, higher seawater levels, and increased likelihood and scale of extreme weather events.

The UAE government launched the National Climate Change Plan 2050 in 2017, a policy framework enabling the transition toward a climate-resilient green economy, while managing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, minimizing climate risks, and increasing adaptation capabilities. 

As the first step in implementing the Plan, the national climate change adaptation Program was launched with the aim to make the UAE one of the most climate-resilient countries in the world. Subsequently, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) conducted a comprehensive assessment of potential climate risks to the country.