Dubai plans to cut carbon emissions to 30% by the end of 2030

Dubai's Supreme Council has updated its plans and targets to reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent by the end of 2030, the Emirate's government media office website reported. The update is to help neutralise carbon emissions in the UAE by 2050.

The approval was given at the 68th meeting of the Dubai Supreme Council for Energy, which was held online and chaired by Sheikh and chairman of the Supreme Council for Energy, Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer. 

The council also discussed the implementation of Resolution number six of 2021 to regulate district cooling services in Dubai. According to the publication, it approved "a regulatory framework for cooling service providers and customers to ensure efficiency in emissions and permit billing".

Regarding the measures approved at the 68th Dubai Supreme Council meeting, Al Tayer said that the meeting had reviewed plans and roadmaps to "increase the share of clean and renewable energy sources, as well as achieving Dubai's Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050", using the latest technologies.

Apart from reducing carbon emissions, the successful launch of the DEWA-SAT 1 satellite was also discussed. The launch was part of Dewa's Space-D programme, and was launched in January 2021 by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed. According to information published in the media office, "this launch made DEWA the first utility company in the world to use satellites in its operations".

According to Al Tayer, the "Space-D programme aims to improve operations, maintenance and planning of DEWA's networks with the support of nanosatellite technology, Internet of Things (IoT) and remote sensing technologies". He also commented that the programme "shows how Dubai's leadership is harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution".

On 7 October 2021, the UAE communicated a plan to reduce net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. This makes it the first country in the Middle East to undertake a specific initiative to combat climate change.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the UAE was "committed to seizing the opportunity to cement our leadership on climate change within our region and seize this key economic opportunity to drive development, growth and new jobs as we move our economy and our nation towards net zero".

According to the UAE government, $40 billion has been invested in clean energy over the past 15 years. They also reported that "its first nuclear power plant had been connected to the national grid", and that they had set a target of "producing 14 GW of clean energy by 2030".

The UAE's move to position itself as a leader in the fight against climate change comes amid a growing economic rivalry with Saudi Arabia, and its intention to bid to host the COP28 global climate talks in 2023.