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| The UAE: A Global Leader in Sustainability and Addressing Climate Challenges |
UAE Vision 2025.. A Global Leader in Sustainability and Addressing Climate Challenges
In 2025, the UAE launched a wide range of initiatives and high-quality projects in the areas of environmental protection, the transition to clean energy, and innovation in green technologies.
These initiatives reinforce the UAE's global standing as one of the most committed countries to addressing climate challenges and leading the transition towards solutions that support environmental sustainability. These initiatives embody the UAE's vision to establish a low-carbon economy, lead international efforts in the clean energy transition, expand environmental and biodiversity protection, and stimulate innovation in sustainability.
The UAE began 2025 by launching the world's largest and first project of its kind combining solar power and battery energy storage in Abu Dhabi. This project will provide renewable energy around the clock and contribute approximately 1 gigawatt-hours (GW) per day to the baseload of renewable energy, making it the world's largest solar power plant equipped with battery energy storage systems.
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The UAE witnessed the launch of its first-ever marine exploration expedition to create a comprehensive geological map of the seabed in its territorial waters, using the research vessel "Geon," the country's first specialized research vessel.
In the circular economy sector, Bee'ah announced the development of the Middle East's first plant to convert waste into green hydrogen, with a production capacity of up to 7 tons per day by 2027. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology launched a national project to recycle used tires and convert them into materials for new industries.
For its part, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure launched the Geospatial Data Platform for Agriculture and Water Resources, aiming to improve water management efficiency, reduce groundwater consumption by 2%, and increase the use of non-conventional water resources to 13% by 2027.
Meanwhile, the Mohammed bin Zayed Water Initiative signed a memorandum of understanding with the World Bank to promote innovation in addressing global water scarcity challenges. The initiative also launched the Water for Agriculture Challenge, offering prizes totaling AED 8 million, with 21 teams from various organizations and individuals qualifying for its second phase.
The UAE has also made progress in environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. The Environment Agency in Sharjah announced the discovery of three new plant species, and the Khor Kalba Mangrove Center joined the International Wetlands Association. Additionally, the Khor Fakkan Fish Farm project was launched as part of efforts to support fisheries in Sharjah.
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) launched the Abu Dhabi Coral Gardens initiative, covering 1,200 square kilometers and including the installation of 40,000 artificial reefs, alongside a project to cultivate more than 4 million coral colonies by 2030. This coincided with the announcement of increasing the area of nature reserves in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to 20% of the emirate's total area.
In the sustainable transport sector, the UAE continued to develop its green transport infrastructure. The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure confirmed the installation of 500 electric vehicle charging stations by the end of this year, while DP World launched its first fleet of electric vehicles at Jebel Ali Port, capable of transporting more than 204,000 containers annually, contributing to a reduction of more than 14,600 tons of emissions. Etihad Rail also announced the completion of the solar power project at the Ghuwaifat station by the end of 2025.
The UAE continued its global expansion in solar energy projects, implementing projects in Albania, Italy, and Spain with a capacity of 446 megawatts, in addition to floating projects in Indonesia, the Al-Sadawi project in Saudi Arabia with a capacity of 2 gigawatts, and other projects in Madagascar, Yemen, Egypt, and Chad. Furthermore, a solar power plant in the Comoros Islands, financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, is also underway.
This year, Masdar and OMV signed an agreement to build a 140-megawatt green hydrogen production plant in Austria, one of the largest European initiatives in this field. In Saudi Arabia, Masdar won contracts to develop two new solar power plants in Najran and Jazan with a combined capacity of 2 gigawatts.
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In the same vein, Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala) announced a €300 million investment, in partnership with Actis, a leading global investor in sustainable infrastructure in emerging markets, to invest in Resolve Energy, a rapidly growing independent renewable energy platform in Central and Eastern Europe.
The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) celebrated the first anniversary of full operation of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, which now provides 25% of the UAE's electricity needs and contributes to reducing emissions by 22.4 million tons annually. The UAE has allocated $10 million to launch a program that enhances the ability of communities in Asia and the Pacific to adapt to natural disasters and supports climate infrastructure.
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