UAE Expects New Energy Strategy To Help Reduce Emissions By 70% - Official

HOUSTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th March, 2019) The authorities of the United Arab Emirates expect the country's new energy strategy, which is aimed at switching to the use of clean energy sources, to help reduce its carbon footprint by 70 percent, Fatima Al Foora Al Shamsi, the assistant undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry, told Sputnik in an interview.

"In UAE, our power sector since 1990s, we were almost 100 percent depending on natural gas. Then we started adding cleaner sources, such as solar and nuclear that is coming.

We are not like other countries that are moving from coal to natural gas to reduce emissions. Our energy strategy has already specified 44 percent by 2050 for renewables. But still, we will have 38 percent of gas, which will improve reduction of emissions � it will be 70 percent compared to our business as usual. We are expecting a 70 percent reduction of emissions," Al Shamsi said.

The UAE Energy Strategy 2050 was unveiled in early 2017. The plan seeks to step up the use of clean energy sources and cut the country's dependence on natural gas.