Abdulrahman Al Awar inaugurates Just Transition pavilion at COP28, affirms UAE labour market policies align with sustainable future trends

His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, inaugurated the Just Transition pavilion, organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the European Commission, as part of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which the UAE is hosting.

“The pavilion serves as a pioneering platform for exchanging experiences and best practices in climate action, paving the way for a roadmap towards a more sustainable future,” Al Awar said.
“The UAE has always been at the forefront of climate action, participating in efforts to combat climate change as a priority and a means to sustain the country’s growth, most importantly the Net Zero 2050 strategy, which aligns with the Paris Agreement,” he added.

“The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has long sought to enact labour market policies that help create and preserve a prosperous and attractive environment for talents from all around the world, with all the conditions needed to ensure their excellence and creativity.

“The Ministry applies the same mindset and process to the green job market, continuously studying future labour market trends.

“We have conducted an in-depth and comprehensive study on green jobs in the UAE labour market, in an effort to classify green jobs, develop assessment and evaluation procedures for them, address gaps, and propose action plans to drive a Just Transition and build a more sustainable future amid the global variables of climate change on workers and labour markets.”

He noted that around 12% of the jobs on the UAE private sector are green, adding: “the UAE has strengthened its position as a leading partner and an ideal host for this year’s COP, which is expected to facilitate significant leaps forward in joint climate action, thanks to the diverse topics presented at the conference and the notable initiatives launched.”

Al Awar stressed that “the UAE’s experience reflects the country's commitment to promoting a climate friendly Just Transition by enacting pioneering legislation that aligns with the anticipated social and economic challenges of this phenomenon. This, in turn, is meant to ensure a successful path into the future, as tackling climate change continues to hold a prominent place in the UAE’s agenda and policies.”

The Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation met with Her Excellency Celeste Drake, Deputy Director General of the International Labor Organisation on the sidelines of the dialogue session at the Just Transition pavilion, in the presence of a group of senior officials from the Regional Office of the International Labor Organisation and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

During the meeting, the ILO team was briefed on the latest innovative legislation in the fields of work in the UAE, which include the Workers’ Protection Programme, Unemployment Insurance Scheme and the Voluntary End-of-Service Savings Scheme (Savings Scheme), which ensure the wellbeing of workers in the country.

Her Excellency Drake praised the “fruitful cooperation” between the General Secretariat of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue and the International Labor Organisation in preparing studies and pilot projects between Asian labour-sending and receiving countries. “I look forward to participating in the seventh edition of the ministerial meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, scheduled to be held next February in conjunction with the World Government Summit,” she said.