COP29: the UAE, Host of COP28, is First to Submit Its New National Climate Plan, but Fails to Address Fossil Fuel Phase Out

Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, are national climate action plans by each country under the Paris Agreement, and are submitted every five years to the United Nations. This new round of NDCs is crucial for countries as it must respond to last year’s COP decision through ambitious commitments in the energy sector notably, but not only. CAN is calling for transformative, equitable, transparent, and inclusive climate plans, aligned with scenarios keeping 1.5 degrees Celsius (ºC) within reach, allowing a just transition for communities and workers, and centered on climate justice and solidarity. As the Troika of Presidencies has a mission to foster alignment to 1.5ºC through NDCs, CAN expects them to lead by example.

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In response to the United Arab Emirates submitting its NDC, Mohamed Kamal, Director of Greenish Foundation and member of Climate Action Network Arab World, said: “Despite the UAE hosting the COP28 in Dubai which secured an agreement on “transitioning away from fossil fuels”, the UAE did not adequately follow up this historic decision and is betting on a mix of unproven, risky distractions, like carbon capture, removal and storage, as shown in its NDC.

The plan doesn’t include any commitment to phase out fossil fuels or to stop the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. With a rather limited target of 30% of “clean energy” for 2030, including nuclear (and no target for 2035), it is unclear how the domestic objective of reducing energy emissions by 50% by 2035 will be reached.

Promises of achieving negative emissions through mangrove afforestation and false solutions, like carbon capture, cannot compensate for the lack of ambition to achieve deep, rapid, and sustained emissions reductions in the energy sector and beyond.”

David Knecht, Energy and Climate Justice Officer at Fastenaktion and co-coordinator of Climate Action Network’s Ambition Working Group, said: “CAN welcomes that the NDC includes an absolute emission reduction target, but the level of ambition (-47% by 2035 compared to 2019) is insufficient. It would result in per capita emissions over three times higher than what the world average should be, according to UNEP’s Emission Gap report. Given the UAE’s responsibilities and capabilities, CAN is of the opinion that the UAE’s target is therefore not equitable.

CAN welcomes the range of issues covered by the new climate plan, including adaptation, water, biodiversity, women and youth, and health. However, by refusing to address the root cause of the problem, the plan fails to include Just Transition measures to support the workers and communities who will be affected by the inevitable phase-out of fossil fuels. While the plan rightly points to the need to minimize the impact of air pollution and heat on people’s health, notably for outdoor workers, any efforts in that direction will be undermined by the UAE’s planned continued production and use of fossil fuels.

There can be no “1.5ºC-aligned” climate plans without explicit commitments to halt the production of fossil fuels and to stop generating energy from them. There can be no climate justice without 1.5ºC alignment, as fossil fuels will keep harming people, communities, and ecosystems.”