UAE-US drive promotes new tech to tackle climate change
AIM for Climate will address the principal challenges related to the agricultural sector and climate change, including emissions, food security and water security
The United Arab Emirates and the United States, with support from the United Kingdom, Brazil, Denmark, Israel, Singapore, Australia and Uruguay, on Friday announced the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) at President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate. The initiative aims to increase and accelerate global agricultural innovation and research and development ( R&D) over the next five years, to address climate change.
The Initiative was unveiled during remarks made by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Ruler of Dubai during the second day of the Leaders Summit on Climate and leverages international cooperation on a vital challenge of global significance.
The world’s growing population is increasingly dependent on vulnerable food production as climate change’s heat, weather, and seasonality impacts undermine longstanding agricultural practices and forces many farmers into poverty. New technologies and innovative approaches are required to enable the sector to cope with climate change while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the sector’s growth and jobs.
AIM for Climate will address the principal challenges related to the agricultural sector and climate change, including emissions, food security and water security. The sector is currently responsible for 24 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions, and as the world’s population continues to grow, innovations in efficient, productive farming techniques can reduce the sector’s environmental impact, make healthy food more available and create new economic opportunities, skills and jobs.
Highlighting the significance of this initiative, Minister for Industry and Advanced Technology and Special Envoy for Climate Change Dr Sultan Al Jaber, said: “The AIM for Climate collaborative initiative focuses on a sector that has been historically overlooked when it comes to climate action. By investing in innovation and technology in the agricultural sector, we can unlock opportunities for effective mitigation and adaptation, feed growing populations in resource stressed areas, and create economic growth. AIM for Climate will build on the
UAE’S experience and the legacy of Sheikh Zayed in proactively adopting, investing in and promoting new technologies to tackle climate change, marking a new era of cooperation with far-reaching and long-lasting socioeconomic benefits.”
Commenting on the initiative, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said, “The United States is proud to be pioneering the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initiative along with the United Arab Emirates and several other supportive partners. I was impressed by the ingenuity being applied to food and climate challenges during my recent trip to the UAE, and know that we all stand to benefit by sharing best practices and raising innovation ambition when it comes to climate-smart agriculture. AIM for Climate can serve as a unique plaform for cooperation among many countries on these shared challenges.”
Mariam Almheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, said: “The UAE is implementing a sustainable approach to food security by adopting modern technology and innovation as an integral aspect of its National Food Security
Strategy. This strategy includes launching numerous initiatives that utilise modern agricultural technology – or ‘Agtech’ – that is powered by research and development to find solutions to climate and environmental challenges of the current food systems. Among the many national initiatives, the office has developed a dedicated ‘Food Research Plaform’ that is an open source web-page publicising the latest scientific research on food related topics including food systems.”
She added: “The Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate initiative represents an important step towards activating a global movement that aims to enhance food security, achieve global climate targets, and support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
“I am pleased to see the United States co-leading the creation of the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initiative. The goal of the initiative is important, to accelerate global agricultural innovation through increased research and development, as it highlights agriculture, science-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.”