Abu Dhabi: The UAE, represented by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), has announced that it will chair the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance (GEEA) for the upcoming years, following the formation of GEEA’s General Secretariat.
According to Emirates News Agency, the UAE initially announced its intention to establish GEEA during the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku. This move supports the UAE Consensus and the global objective of doubling the energy efficiency improvement rate from the historical average of 2 percent to over 4 percent annually by 2030. GEEA is a testament to the UAE’s commitment to prioritizing energy efficiency within the international energy and climate agenda. The initiative comes at a crucial time, as the global energy efficiency improvement rate is currently below 1.5 percent annually, threatening the achievement of decarbonisation and net-zero targets.
GEEA is designed to complement other high-level initiatives such as the Mission Efficiency partnership, the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group, and regional clean energy platforms. These efforts aim to be mutually reinforcing, ensuring that knowledge, finance, and best practices are shared across borders and sectors.
Through its leadership of this ambitious alliance, the UAE aims to drive international efforts to enhance energy efficiency across various sectors. The nation seeks to foster collaboration among governments, the private sector, financial institutions, and research and innovation centers, accelerating the transition to more efficient and sustainable energy systems.
Sharif Al Olama, Under-Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MoEI, highlighted that the UAE’s chairing of GEEA reflects the international community’s trust in the country’s leadership and coordination capabilities. Al Olama stated that GEEA will be instrumental in policy development, knowledge and expertise exchange, and improving access to finance and innovation, enabling member states to meet their national and international energy efficiency objectives.
Al Olama emphasized the alliance’s role as a practical and inclusive platform to expedite the achievement of the global target to double energy efficiency rates by 2030, consistent with the UAE Consensus. He invited global partners to join efforts for a more efficient and sustainable future, noting that GEEA aims to drive transformative improvements in energy consumption efficiency across key sectors like buildings, transportation, and industry.
In February, the UAE hosted a high-level roundtable at the World Government Summit in Dubai, discussing the alliance’s general framework with various countries, international organisations, private sector entities, and financial institutions.