UAE Unlikely to Set Net-Zero Emissions Target Before COP26
August 24, 2021 at 05:38PM The United Arab Emirates is unlikely to set a net-zero emissions target before the COP26 talks starting in October, dealing a potential blow to the climate event. While the country is considering such a goal, its extreme heat and dry conditions make reducing greenhouse gas emissions difficult because plenty of energy is needed for cooling and desalination, according to a senior Ministry of Climate Change and Environment official. “Don’t expect us to announce anything by the COP26, but we are considering a net-zero target like any other part of the world,” Qais Al Suwaidi, head of the ministry’s climate change department, said in an interview. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] No major OPEC producer has announced a net-zero target, and the UAE was among the most likely to do so before the COP26 in Glasgow. The U.K. and U.S. want governments to commit to deep emissions cuts. Zeroing them out in the next three decades is viewed as crucial to prevent...