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UAE, Denmark share similar ambition for green solutions, says Danish minister

Denmark to increase partnership with UAE ahead of COP28: Dan Jorgensen, Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy

Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, Dan Jorgensen, said that the UAE is a vital partner for Denmark as both countries share the same ambition for finding innovative renewable energy solutions and building a more sustainable future for the world.

In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), currently underway in the capital, Jorgensen expressed his country’s desire to intensify its collaborations with the UAE in the lead up to COP28, which will be held in Expo City, Dubai, in November 2023.

“Denmark has been very active in the negotiations in the COP process for many years, and it's important for us to back the [UAE COP28] presidency in its efforts. We hope that with our experience, and our track record on green transformation, help the UAE towards a successful result,” Jorgensen said.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber speech lauded

The Minister commended the COP28 President-Designate Dr Sultan Al Jaber for his speech at ADSW, where he reiterated the words once said by the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, that the day the UAE sells the last barrel of oil will be one to celebrate.

“That is an ambitious President-Designate speaking and I applaud that. I think that we need leaders like that in the world that that see that there needs to be a future on the other side of the fossil era.

“As somebody famously once said that the Stone Age did not stop because we ran out of stone, the same will be true for oil. We will have to move away from oil not because there's no more left, but because we decide that we want a different world where renewables gets us the energy that we need.”

Shared ambition

The minister said that Denmark and the UAE will be speaking “with one voice” during COP28 and that both countries can use their expertise and shared ambition on renewable energy to help other nations reach the required green targets.

“The UAE has a lot of expertise as a country themselves. We see them as a partner that we can work with… and together we can help others because we share the ambition to deploy more renewable energy and to become more energy efficient.

“This is one of the areas where we will speak about with one voice leading up to and during COP28.”

Strategic partnerships

Jorgensen said another way to continue building mutual strategic partnerships would be through green projects and initiatives.

“There are many Danish companies working on different green solutions that are present here which have a big potential for more developed cooperation,” he noted.

The impact of Danish companies in the UAE is primarily focused on energy and water efficiency projects, waste disposal and renewable energy solutions. They include Danfoss, a company which produces energy efficient technologies; Niras, a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy which offers green solutions in line with the Sustainable Development Goals; AVK, a water valve and hydrant manufacturer which works on enhancing water and energy efficiency; as well as engineering company Rambøll which with the local Danish mission provided the region’s first embodied carbon case story with Majid Al Futtaim.

The Danish delegation are participating in ADSW to share Denmark’s sustainability and green transformation experiences.

“For many decades now, we have managed to have a continuous economic growth in our country. While at the same time greening our economy. And we hope that that can be an example that others might find inspiring,” Jorgensen said.

Denmark has one of the most ambitious climate laws in the world. The government’s target is to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990, be carbon neutral by 2045, and reach net negative emissions by 2050.

The zealous goals are part of Denmark’s commitment to the Paris Agreement. “This is something we've done to live up to our responsibility towards the Paris agreement,” Jorgensen said.

“Our message to other countries would be to also align their policies with the Paris Agreement. We need to do this as a global community, and faster than its happening right now. If more countries don't start to increase their levels of ambition, then we will unfortunately be on track to a much higher temperature increase then we can accept.”

— rasha@khaleejtimes.com