• Ras Al Khaimah details innovative environmental initiatives during two-hour session at the world’s pre-eminent climate change conference
• Carbon capture utilizing the Emirate’s famous mountain rocks, industrial energy efficiency and sustainable tourism are key topics of discussion

Ras Al Khaimah Government entities and companies highlighted their commitment to key sustainability initiatives that put the Nature Emirate on the map during the second day of COP28 UAE at Expo City Dubai yesterday.

More than 10 of Ras Al Khaimah’s most prominent sustainability initiatives were showcased during a two-hour-long session dedicated to the Emirate at COP28’s Green Zone Knowledge Hub, drawing audiences from across the globe, who listened to speakers detail various initiatives. Topics discussed included the Emirate’s Industrial Energy Efficiency drive, the Responsible RAK tourism sustainability strategy, the innovative Outdoor Thermal Comfort Program and the pioneering carbon capture project aiming to utilize Ras Al Khaimah’s mountain minerals to produce clean hydrogen.

Opening with a video on Ras Al Khaimah’s sustainability efforts, which carried a message from His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, the session at COP28 UAE saw Chief Executives and Director Generals from departments in the Emirate deliver presentations on their main focus areas. The event concluded with a panel discussion entitled ‘How to unlock net-zero in hard to abate industrial sectors’, featuring the CEOs of Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone, RAK Ceramics, Stevin Rock and a representative from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, said: “Ras Al Khaimah is committed to environmental stewardship and sustainability, in line with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative, as it is our collective duty to ensure a bright future for the Earth and all its inhabitants. Through our innovative initiatives, we are forging a legacy of responsible leadership and ownership among our people that is testament to our unwavering dedication to a greener, more harmonious world. It is my sincere hope that the array of sustainability projects we are highlighting at COP28, and the others to come, will benefit our local population, the wider UAE community and the global fight against climate change.”

Ras Al Khaimah’s session was the first of many activities that the Emirate is participating in during COP28 UAE to display its long-standing initiatives in environmental sustainability and its contributions towards a greener future. Other initiative to be highlighted include RAK Transport Authority’s Green Mobility Framework 2040; RAK Municipality’s Manzily Game, which educates children on household energy efficiency through gamification; Environment Protection and Development Authority’s Eco-Label, which certifies manufacturing companies that are adopting sustainable practices; and the Green Lung Initiative, which involves planting over one million trees across Ras Al Khaimah.

Innovative energy and carbon capture initiatives developed by RAK Petroleum Authority will also be showcased during COP28 UAE. The first is an endeavor to explore commercial quantities of natural hydrogen, with extensive research under way on a type of rock in Ras Al Khaimah that has the potential to form the clean fuel through a natural process. The second is a carbon sequestration study to understand the potential of certain rocks in Ras Al Khaimah that may be able to capture CO2 when carbon dioxide is injected deep into the rocks and reacts with minerals present in the rocks.

The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) continues at Expo City Dubai until December 12