Abu Dhabi, 1st August 2023: Following the recent launch of ADNOC’s Decarbonisation Plan, Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) praised ADNOC and said: “The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi appreciates the efforts of ADNOC, its key implementation partner in Abu Dhabi’s Climate Change Strategy. We applaud ADNOC’s innovative and forward-looking solutions to achieve the objectives of this ambitious strategy.”
The five-year Abu Dhabi Climate Change Strategy is a major contribution to Abu Dhabi’s climate action ambitions at various levels and will help achieve the objectives of the UAE's strategic Net Zero by 2050 initiative, which was pledged by the UAE’s leadership, as a national drive aimed at reducing emissions.
The strategy will drive innovation in carbon capture and storage efforts and identifies measures for diversifying the economy to include low-carbon sectors. In specific for the oil and gas sector the target set by the strategy is 25% reduction of ADNOC carbon intensity by 2030 to achieve a level amongst the lowest emissions per barrel of oil in the industry globally.
Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha said of ADNOC’s Decarbonisation Plan: “The oil and gas industry is one of the most economically important sectors as well as one of the key emitting sectors in the emirate. Therefore, the decrease in the sector’s emissions intensity to levels that are considered among the lowest in the world, and the announcement of a reduction in carbon emissions of nearly 5.4 million tonnes across ADNOC’s operations in 2022 is an important milestone in the emirate’s strategic climate action pathway.”
She elaborated: “EAD and ADNOC’s cooperation journey to transform the energy sector began more than 15 years ago. Both continue to work to explore opportunities and the potential in energy sources, such as hydrogen, and to reduce methane emissions in production processes. This is in addition to their collective work to ensure biodiversity conservation at ADNOC sites and support the rehabilitation of marine and terrestrial areas. Under the supervision of our wise UAE leadership, EAD’s cooperation with ADNOC and other partners will continue to achieve the Abu Dhabi Climate Change Strategy set target of 47-million tonne carbon emission reduction across all sectors operating in the emirate by 2030, in line with the national objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.”
The Abu Dhabi Climate Change Strategy focuses on climate leadership by reducing emissions in key sectors and improving the ability to adapt to projected impacts while maintaining Abu Dhabi’s resilience and attractiveness to investors as the emirate transitions towards a low-carbon, innovation-driven economy.
EAD and ADNOC’s joint commitment to protecting the marine environment is exemplified in the development of the Ghasha mega-project, the world’s largest offshore sour gas development and a critical element in meeting the UAE’s gas self-sufficiency objective. The project lies within a UNESCO designated area, the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, known for its rich coastal and its rich coastal and marine ecosystems, including turtles, coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves.
In adherence to EAD’s environmental permitting requirements, ADNOC is implementing a zero-discharge policy within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve and, as part of the design of the facilities, have installed artificial fish habitats to repopulate the area; developed a rescue and rehabilitation program for endangered sea turtles; and installed Osprey nesting platforms in different offshore and onshore locations to increase their population.