UAE to train climate diplomats of the future

• Centre for Climate Diplomacy launched
• Backed by Adnoc and Mubadala
• Aim to bridge ‘gaps’ in research

Abu Dhabi has launched a research initiative aimed at preparing regional leaders for diplomatic discussions about climate change, as the UAE prepares to host the Cop28 summit in late November.

The Centre for Climate Diplomacy at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA), established in partnership with the national oil company Adnoc and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, will develop studies in sustainable finance, adaptation and resilience, energy transition and climate diplomacy.

The centre is poised to serve as a bridge between researchers, diplomatic envoys, corporate entities and government representatives.

Its primary mission is to educate policymakers in the UAE and the broader Middle East region with the skills and knowledge to navigate climate change issues. 

With an initial budget of AED3 million ($816,882) allocated for the first two years, the centre aspires to forge international collaborations with academic institutions, research bodies and think tanks across the Middle East. 

“When we look at the research that is being done in the region, we see gaps, especially on how we adapt to the impact of climate change, how can we better measure emissions and where the climate finance is flowing, and how do we assess the projects that we spend our money on,” said Moustafa Bayouni, project manager of the centre.

The UAE hosts Cop28 in Dubai from November 30 to December 12.

“The UAE continues to advance progressive solutions to address climate change and diplomacy plays a crucial role in enabling greater collaboration across public and private sectors,” said Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 president-designate and CEO of Adnoc.

“The urgent need for effective climate action at scale demands that organisations and individuals from every sector and from around the world come together to deliver tangible action.”

Nikolay Mladenov, AGDA director general, emphasised the role the centre will play in bridging the chasm between scientific insights and policy decisions, while preparing diplomats for the complex realm of climate negotiations.

“Climate change has become a recurrent theme internationally, it wasn’t there two generations ago. Diplomats now require these skills and knowledge,” Mladenov said. 

He told AGBI the Cop28 conference “will serve as a catalyst for innovation, encourage discussion, and present feasible solutions to address the challenge of climate change”.

The UN last week warned in its first global climate stocktake that progress made to date has been “inadequate”. 

There needs to be at least a 43 percent reduction in annual global emissions by 2030 to meet the 1.5C objective set by The Paris Agreement in 2015.