John Kerry in UAE: climate talks are under way in Abu Dhabi

UAE’s special envoy for climate change Dr Sultan Al Jaber and Cop26 President Alok Sharma discuss action

US climate envoy John Kerry attends the Regional Climate Dialogue in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. This is Mr Kerry's first visit to the Middle East, and Asia, since being appointed to the role. Courtesy: Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change

US climate envoy John Kerry attends the Regional Climate Dialogue in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. This is Mr Kerry's first visit to the Middle East, and Asia, since being appointed to the role. Courtesy: Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change

Alok Sharma, President of Cop26, attends the Regional Climate Dialogue in Abu Dhabi. 

The pledge issued at the end of the Regional Climate Dialogue vowed to help the most vulnerable. 

Delegates at the talks in Abu Dhabi.

Abdullah Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and John Kerry, US climate envoy at the dialogue. 

Abdullah Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, at the Regional Climate Dialogue.  

The dialogue comes during a critical year in the global fight to halt rising temperatures. Courtesy: Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change

The UAE's Special Envoy for Climate Change, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, at the Regional Climate Dialogue. Courtesy: Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change

US climate envoy John Kerry is given a helicopter tour of Noor solar park, outside Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Courtesy: Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change

John Kerry speaks with Dr Sultan Al Jaber at Abu Dhabi's Shams 1 solar park on Saturday. The National

This is John Kerry's first visit to the Middle East since being appointed US climate envoy. The National

Mr Kerry has vowed to make up for the 'lost years' of the Donald Trump presidency and put the US at the forefront of efforts to protect the environment. The National

John Kerry meets Francesco La Camera, director general of International Renewable Energy Agency, which has its global headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The National

US climate envoy John Kerry visits Jubail Mangrove Park. Courtesy Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change

An aerial image of Abu Dhabi's Noor solar park. Its 3.2 million panels make it the largest single-site solar park in the world. Courtesy: Noor Abu Dhabi

Arrayed panels at Abu Dhabi's Noor solar park. Pawan Singh / The National

A major regional event to discuss commitments to tackling climate change began in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

US climate envoy John Kerry is among the dignitaries attending the Regional Climate Dialogue.

The UAE’s special envoy for climate change, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, and the Cop26 President Alok Sharma also spoke about the need for action to tackle climate change.

It is Mr Kerry’s first visit to the Middle East since being appointed to the role.

The veteran politician was made climate envoy by US President Joe Biden and vowed to swiftly make up for America’s “lost years” in the battle to protect the environment.

The dialogue comes during a critical year in the global fight to halt rising temperatures.

Mr Biden has called a virtual summit of 40 leaders, including those of India and China, on April 22 and 23. It will be streamed publicly.

In November, the Cop26 climate change summit will be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

“We face an enormous global challenge and it’s growing in intensity,” Mr Kerry said in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

He also visited Abu Dhabi’s Noor and Shams 1 solar parks, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and Jubail Mangrove Park in the heart of the capital.

He will later travel to India and Bangladesh – two countries badly hit by climate change-linked natural disasters.

Cop26 in Glasgow has been described as the most important summit since Paris in 2015. Agreed the same year and now signed by 195 countries, including the UAE, the deal aims to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

But experts say the world faces increases of more than 1.5°C within 10 years if countries fail to act.

One of Mr Biden’s first acts in office was to announce the US would rejoin the Paris accord.

Mr Sharma warned of the destruction that will be unleashed if the world fails to tackle rising temperatures. Already, seas are rising and freak climate events are becoming commonplace.

Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit in January, Mr Sharma said choices made today would determine the world’s fate.

“It is vital we act now,” said Mr Sharma, who serves in the Cabinet of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The UAE has ambitious plans to rapidly increase the amount of energy it generates from green and renewable sources.

At the end of 2020, the country’s renewable capacity reached 2.3 gigawatts.

That is forecast to leap to nine gigawatts by 2025.