National Climate Change Plan of the United Arab Emirates 2017-2050.

This National Climate Change Plan is a nationwide sectoral document aiming to (i) represent a comprehensive framework to address the causes and impacts of climate change; (ii) plan the transition into a climate resilient green economy; and (iii) achieve a better quality of life as implementation of the Paris Agreement, ratified by the Emirates in September 2016. To achieve the overall goal, the Plan has three main interlinked objectives (1) manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while sustaining economic growth through the development of a robust GHG measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) system; (2) increase climate resilience by minimizing risks and improving adaptive capacity through a comprehensive evidence-based adaptation planning; and (3) advance the economic diversification agenda through innovative solutions where the private sector will play a critical role enabled by a series of actions provided by the Government. The document highlights 5 main implementation means, they are (i) green finance; (ii) capacity building; (iii) governance, monitoring and evaluation; (iv) awareness raising and communications campaigns in partnership with relevant stakeholder to facilitate the participation of government entities, businesses, youth, households, academia, and media; and (v) international cooperation.
To make agriculture and fisheries more productive and sustainable, main efforts shall be directed to implement adaptation actions such as (i) establish a network of marine protected areas and terrestrial protected areas; and (ii) enable water management and desalination technologies to face the rising water temperatures and salinity.
In order of enabling a more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the Plan seeks for (i) heightening environment standards for products and services to enter the local market; and (ii) strengthening certification and eco-labeling for green products and services.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters of the climate change, the Plan proposes some steps, as follows (1) set up a technical working group on adaptation; (2) conduct a comprehensive national climate change risk assessment (NCCRA); (3) establish a National Adaptation Action Program (NAAP); (4) implement adaptation actions, such as coordinate response and synergies between climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction and integrate and coordinate early warning systems; (5) strengthen and improve monitoring and observation of climate change; and (6) regularly review adaptation activities for updating the NAAP through a comprehensive participatory process.
As for the Governance, the implementation of the Climate Plan will be overseen by the Council on Climate Change and the Environment (CC&EC) as an inter-ministerial governance body, while the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) will take the role of the secretariat and shall have the responsibility for monitoring the progress of the Plan.