Climate change has risen rapidly in recent years as one of the most important challenges faced by the global community. The impacts of climate change are already felt around the world. The UAE is a low lying coastal country with an arid climate and which already faces high temperatures. At the same time, we play a central role in the world’s energy economy as a supplier of fossil fuels, which gives us an important stake in finding solutions to cutting emissions while still providing the world with the energy it needs. With investment in renewable energy and the role as the host of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), we are at the heart of the clean energy revolution. The UAE is engaged in the fight against climate change both because we recognize the risks of not acting and because we are a responsible global citizen committed to multilateral action. But we are also convinced that in rising to this challenge there is a real opportunity. New clean energy technologies will play a major role in economic growth in the next few decades. Together we can build new industries, create knowledge-intensive jobs and create opportunities for our young people, all in the service of the global good.