BLOG: The NEP Experience

NEP 3.0 participant Saood Al Noori has dedicated his career to furthering energy policy. In the Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, Saood leads diplomatic engagement efforts for Asia in the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP). Along with facilitating negotiations on energy-related outcomes, he works with governments and businesses to achieve the initiatives and pledges established during annual COPs. 

Saood sees energy as fundamental to human progress and social and economic development, and one of his passions in the energy arena is achieving a global cooling pledge. 

As the climate continues to warm, access to adequate cooling is a necessity to mitigate the health impacts of extreme heat—and in warmer parts of the world, increasingly highlighted as a human right. However, as demand for cooling increases, greenhouse gas emissions associated with cooling will also increase unless steps are taken to increase efficiency and transition to more climate-friendly refrigerants.

With the UAE preparing to host COP28 in November and December, Saood was recently appointed to lead OSECC’s efforts in the G20 under the aegis of India’s presidency, as well as in the G7, held in Japan in May. 

In this context, he was invited to represent COP28 in a panel on the sidelines of the G20 Energy Transition Working Group in Chennai. In the March 30 panel, “Macroeconomic Implications of Climate Change and Transitional Pathways”, Saood emphasized the importance of urgent investment in climate action, including sustainable cooling, and the global economic ramifications of inaction:

“Thinking in the long-term, taking the lead now by investing in climate action, renewables and clean energy is not only the right choice but it's also the smart thing to do.” – Saood Al Noori

A second event, “Enabling a Global Transition to Sustainable Cooling”, was convened by India’s Ministry of Power in partnership with the UAE’s COP28 Presidency and the UN Environment Program’s Cool Coalition. Its agenda aimed to rally momentum for global action on sustainable cooling, including through the G20 and COP28 processes.

Saood’s speech placed a spotlight on global cooling and the UAE’s efforts to develop a Global Cooling Pledge for discussion at COP28. The UAE has placed a Cool COP Menu of Actions on the agenda for the landmark climate conference. 

In addition to sustainable cooling, Saood is passionate about increasing access to energy, decarbonizing hydrogen, and developing affordable technologies for carbon capture and storage. Representing the Energy and Renewables sector in the third edition of NEP, he is co-captaining the COP28 white paper team on Financing the Energy Transition and will present the outcomes of their research at COP28.

Through NEP and his work with the Office of the Special Envoy, Saood hopes to further elevate the UAE’s position as a global energy leader and a stabilizing force for countries around the world: 

“Everything that I’m doing is for my country. I want to make sure that I represent my country in the best way possible, using the skills that I acquired through my life and education and beyond. The UAE is a leader in energy, and I want to ensure our prosperity benefits people within and beyond our region—so everyone has access to affordable and clean energy.” – Saood Al Noori