The former UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, warned that global climate action remains insufficient, with little progress since the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015.

He emphasized that global efforts are slow and largely ineffective, with continued reliance on fossil fuels despite the urgent need for change.

Al Nuaimi reiterated the UAE's commitment to its Net Zero 2050 Strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 by reducing carbon emissions to levels that can be naturally absorbed or stored.

He stressed that reaching net-zero involves decreasing emissions to a point where they can be offset through natural or technological means, aligning with the UAE’s long-term climate goals.

Al Nuaimi expressed concern that if current trends persist, the world might revert to coal as a primary energy source due to the depletion of finite resources like fossil fuels and renewable minerals.

He warned that continued reliance on fossil fuels could lead to a future where coal becomes the fallback energy source, highlighting the urgency of resource conservation.

Since the Paris Agreement, only about 10% of the world's energy is generated from clean sources, with 85-90% still coming from fossil fuels, indicating slow progress in transitioning to renewable energy.

Despite the UAE's initiatives such as developing the world's largest mangrove farm and a massive solar park, Al Nuaimi emphasized that these efforts are not enough without global cooperation.

He pointed out that climate change is a worldwide issue, and regional efforts like those of the UAE need to be coordinated internationally to be truly effective.