ANTALYA, 11th November, 2026 (WAM) -- On behalf of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, led a high-level UAE delegation today at the opening of the Leaders’ Summit in Antalya, Türkiye, held on 11th and 12th November as part of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).
H.H. Sheikh Saud attended the opening of the summit, chaired by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, in the presence of heads of state, government leaders and senior officials from around the world, alongside representatives of the United Nations and international organisations.
The summit brings together world leaders to strengthen international cooperation, accelerate the implementation of climate commitments and advance collective efforts to address climate challenges.
H.H. Sheikh Saud affirmed that the UAE continues to play an active role in advancing global climate action, highlighting the UAE’s approach to balancing economic development with environmental protection, investing in clean energy, technology and innovation, and strengthening international partnerships to build a more sustainable future.
H.H. Sheikh Saud emphasised that the UAE has established a development model in which economic growth and climate action go hand in hand, with investment in people, knowledge and technology forming the foundation of a more diversified and sustainable economy.
He noted that the UAE’s experience demonstrates how climate ambitions can be translated into tangible opportunities for growth and innovation, improving quality of life while preserving resources for future generations.
H.H. Sheikh Saud highlighted the significance of the historic UAE Consensus, reached at COP28 in Dubai, as a milestone in global climate action that demonstrated the international community’s ability to reach agreement on shared challenges.
He stressed that the focus must now shift to building on this consensus by accelerating the implementation of climate commitments, mobilising finance and investment, expanding access to clean technologies and supporting a just, orderly and responsible energy transition that takes into account different national circumstances and delivers tangible benefits for communities worldwide.
Accompanying H.H. Sheikh Saud was a high-level delegation comprising Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture; Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State; and Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment.
Held under the theme “Towards a Sustainable, Resilient and Equitable Future,” the Leaders’ Summit forms part of COP31, hosted by Türkiye from 9th to 20th November.
The conference focuses on translating climate commitments into practical action and strengthening international cooperation in clean energy, climate finance and climate adaptation to advance sustainable development.
During his visit, H.H. Sheikh Saud toured the UAE Pavilion at COP31, organised by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, where he was briefed on national initiatives and projects in clean energy, water security, climate finance and natural resource conservation.
H.H. Sheikh Saud was also briefed on the UAE’s efforts to strengthen integration between the energy and water sectors, develop innovative solutions to improve resource efficiency and climate resilience and advance international initiatives and partnerships that support global climate action.
H.H. Sheikh Saud later attended an official dinner hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in honor of the heads of state and government participating in the Antalya Leaders’ Summit.
The UAE’s participation at the summit reflects its continued commitment to advancing international climate action and building on the outcomes of COP28, hosted in Dubai in 2023.
Central to these outcomes was the historic UAE Consensus, which called for transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner, tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling the global average annual improvement rate of energy efficiency by 2030.
COP28 also saw the adoption of the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience to strengthen climate adaptation efforts and the implementation of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
During the 2023 conference, the UAE President announced the launch of ALTÉRRA, a US$30 billion climate investment vehicle designed to mobilise US$250 billion in climate investments worldwide by 2030.