Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, in her capacity as President and CEO of UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), has led a delegation to attend London Climate Action Week (LCAW), participating in strategic discussions, and addressing audiences at a series of high-level events.
LCAW is the latest of several international climate conferences driving forward the Net Zero agenda, ahead of COP28 UAE. The event focused on three key themes relevant to the UICCA’s core mission: accelerating the global clean economy; delivering fair, inclusive and just climate transitions; and expanding networks for whole-of-society action.
Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of the Abu Dhabi-based think tank and accelerator, which is committed to driving the transition to Net Zero, spoke at three high-level events during the week. These occurred alongside several valuable bilateral conversations, where the UICCA engaged key stakeholders across international governments, finance, NGOs and private organisations. This included world-renowned think tank, Chatham House, advisory firm EY, and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, which empowers female entrepreneurs from across the globe to start, build and grow their businesses.
With a particular focus on identifying and scaling emerging climate technologies, the UICCA also engaged in discussions with The Earthshot Prize, a platform originating from the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales that showcases extraordinary climate solutions from around the world, the Global Innovation Fund, a non-profit multilateral investment vehicle with a focus on the Global South, and PANGAIA, the materials science company creating sustainable lifestyle products and experiences.
Delivering an opening keynote speech at LCAW’s Reset Connect event, Her Highness highlighted the UICCA’s core mission, to protect “the future of humanity on our planet”.
Her Highness said: “Whether it’s the emerging climate technologies we support and scale up through our accelerator programme, the alternative sustainable financing mechanisms we look to introduce, or the policy recommendations we make to create an enabling environment for climate action, our North Star remains consistent.”
During closing remarks at the Climate Investment Summit, hosted at the London Stock Exchange, Her Highness highlighted the AED11.02 trillion-AED12.85 trillion investment gap that still persists towards the UN’s climate and sustainable development goals, but also noted the positive steps already being taken by bodies such as the Global Innovation Fund, catalysing climate-related investments.
Her Highness said: “What inspired me about this meeting was seeing the clear impact this business model has had. For every dollar that the Global Innovation Fund have invested into these start-ups, they have gone on to raise 7.5 times more dollars – a clear demonstration of the positive domino effect that can be achieved when we work together to give a concept with potential the chance to shine.”
Finally, at the Resilience and Adaptation Summit, Her Highness engaged with key players from the insurance sector, recognising that climate change is not simply an issue for the future, and noted the immense challenges being faced across the globe, today.
Her Highness said: “As we race against the clock in the fight against climate change, it has become impossible to ignore the escalation in climate-related catastrophes across the world. These impacts greatly affect underprivileged populations; marginalised persons, developing nations, rural communities… Securing a climate-ready economy requires a wide lens in which all pieces of the climate action puzzle must be considered for us to get a full picture in resilience and adaptation.”
The UICCA rounded the week off with a series of meetings conducted at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership (CISL). In addition to touring CISL’s ultra-sustainable Entopia Building, the UICCA delegation engaged in discussion with senior members of CISL accelerator, The Canopy, as well as entrepreneurs and small businesses from the Cambridge community who are pioneering climate innovation.
A valuable opportunity to engage strategic innovators and convey the UICCA’s vision for a radically collaborative approach to climate-relevant initiatives in the areas of technological innovation, London Climate Action Week provided a crucial platform to discuss climate finance and the development of related proposals for policy and regulation. The landmark event also represented an opportunity to align with global stakeholders and understand key priorities that will shape dialogues at COP28 UAE.
