The United Arab Emirates (UAE) joined the Mission Innovation countries which came together today here at the UN climate change conference, COP22, in Marrakech, Morocco, to report on developments one year on from its launch.

Mission Innovation, a consortium of 20 countries each pledging to double their research and development (R&D) spending on clean energy technologies. It aims to reinvigorate and accelerate global clean energy innovation with the objective to make clean energy widely affordable.

In addition, a number of innovation challenges were launched to target development of energy technologies that will accelerate the clean energy transition. Innovation Challenges are global calls to action aimed at accelerating research, development, and demonstration (R&D) in technology areas where MI members believe increased international attention would make a significant impact in shared fight against climate change.

Dr. Mattar Al Neyadi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy, said the UAE backed the Mission Innovation's initiatives which would contribute to employ innovation in clean energy through a public-private partnership on research and development (R&D).

He stated that last year seven challenges were defined, notably Affordable Heating and Cooling of Buildings Innovation Challenge with the objective to make low-carbon heating and cooling affordable for everyone.

''Globally, buildings account for almost a third of final energy consumption, with space heating and cooling, and the provision of hot water, accounting for approximately half of this consumption. The ultimate goal of the affordable heating and cooling of buildings Innovation Challenge is to develop core building heating and cooling systems and measures to improve building envelopes that deliver affordable heating and cooling without the carbon emissions,'' he said.

Cooling currently represents a smaller proportion of global energy demand, though it is an area of significant future growth, with an 80 percent increase in space cooling demand anticipated by 2050 in emerging and developing economies. Increasing global temperatures resulting from the effects of climate change will also contribute significantly to this growth, he noted.

Outlining the UAE's efforts in this respect, he explained that Estidama, an Abu Dhabi building design methodology for constructing and operating buildings and communities more sustainably, has reduced gas emissions by up to 35 percent.

He added that Al Safat, a Dubai green building rating system, aims to reduce the consumption of electricity by 20 percent, water consumption by 15 per cent, carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent and waste by as much as 50 per cent.