The UICCA Forum: 25 to 2050 convened government leaders, industry experts and sustainability advocates to drive actionable solutions for the UAE’s net zero transition in the presence of Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA).
The forum focused on the UAE’s progress towards net zero by 2050. Participants collaboratively identified the priorities and actions to help define the roadmap for the next 25 years.
Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan delivered the keynote address, highlighting the UAE’s commitment to climate action, knowledge-sharing, and innovation as key enablers of sustainable green economic growth.
Her Highness highlighted the urgency of the global climate crisis, referencing record-breaking temperatures and the accelerating pace of emissions, particularly in developing and emerging economies, stressing that the next 25 years will be decisive in determining the trajectory of the world’s transition to net zero.
Reflecting on the UICCA’s evolution since its founding in 2022, Her Highness Sheikha Shamma outlined the organisation’s three interconnected pillars, Advisory, Accelerators, and Alliances, as a model for breaking down silos and fostering collective action. Emphasising the need for inclusivity in climate action, Her Highness called on stakeholders to leverage data-driven research, technology acceleration, and cross-sector collaboration to build a sustainable future.
Sheikha Shamma said: “The UAE’s net zero journey is not just about advancing technology or strengthening policies, it is about uniting all sectors of society behind a shared vision. The next 25 years will define the course of our planet for generations to come, and the decisions we make today will determine how soon we reach net zero. Through the UICCA Forum: 25 to 2050, we reinforce the importance of collaboration, evidence-based decision-making, and impactful dialogue in accelerating our climate ambitions. With the launch of our Climate Migration Report and the 2nd edition of the largest bilingual Climate Change Glossary in the region, we are equipping policymakers, media professionals, and industry leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to drive climate action effectively.”
The forum also marked the unveiling of two publications aimed at strengthening climate action and knowledge accessibility. The first, the Climate Migration Research Report, a comprehensive study that examines the connection between climate change and human displacement, offering data-driven insights and policy recommendations to support climate adaptation strategies and resilience efforts.
The second publication is the UICCA Climate Change Glossary Second Edition, the largest bilingual glossary in the region, which provides translations and definitions in English and Arabic for more than 400 climate-related terms, more than double the number in the first edition. Developed in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center (ALC), the glossary enhances climate communication by ensuring that policymakers, media professionals, and industry leaders have access to accurate and standardised terminology.
Both the Research Report and the Climate Change Glossary are available to download now on the UICCA website – uicca.ae.
