UAE has an impressive track record of leadership in creating solutions to reduce emissions and generate economic and social opportunities and Abu Dhabi Ascent, to be held in May, is a significant marker for global efforts to tackle emission targets for a greener planet.

The world’s focus is once again turning to the global challenge of climate change. In May, Abu Dhabi will bring the world together to drive more solutions.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, recently announced the UAE will host a critical meeting, Abu Dhabi Ascent, on May 4-5 in the lead-up to the September UN Climate Summit in New York. This is a striking recognition of the central role the UAE plays in global actions on climate change, as well as the close and growing cooperation between the UAE and the United Nations.

The dangers of climate change have returned to the top of the international agenda. In recent months, changes to northern weather systems caused by the warming Arctic appear to have pushed polar winds far into North America, causing record storms. At the same time, highly unusual storm patterns are attributed to flooding in western Europe and Asia. While no individual weather event can be blamed with certainty on climate change, each is part of an alarming trend that will only grow worse if we do not control global greenhouse gas emissions.

That is certainly the conclusion of many world leaders. Last month, US Secretary of State John Kerry put climate change at the top of the US policy agenda with a speech in Jakarta. The US and China have announced another partnership to cut emissions. This renewed focus on climate change is why world leaders will convene in the Climate Summit this fall.

Abu Dhabi Ascent is the most important step towards the development of more ambitious climate change actions to be announced in New York. As Ban said: “The UAE initiative to host the Abu Dhabi Ascent is an important concrete contribution to the Summit. This meeting is a critical milepost on the way that will help build the momentum we need for a successful Climate Summit.”

Such momentum on climate change is needed because global efforts to tackle it have slowed in recent years. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the main platform for this cooperation, has had some successes with establishing some climate targets and emissions trading under the Kyoto Protocol. Some of those efforts, however, fell short of what is needed — and the progress of other measures actually fell into reverse. For example, the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, as agreed in Doha in 2012, actually has targets for fewer countries than did the first. The result is that climate negotiations have pitted developed and developing countries against each other as both sides have disagreed on the most viable course of action.

As a result, the UNFCCC has set a goal of negotiating a new climate treaty, applicable to all countries, by the end of 2015. France will host the “COP21” conference that should reach this agreement. This is an important deadline, but to meet it all nations must work together on big win-win opportunities that will reduce emissions while driving investment in new technologies, innovation and educational opportunities for all.

This is where the UAE excels. Our nation has an impressive track record of leadership in creating positive solutions to reduce emissions while creating economic and social opportunities. A prime example is Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company.

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