On Sunday, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, chaired the first meeting of the Council of Ministers in the new season at Qasr Al Watan in the capital, Abu Dhabi.
The Council approves a temporary license for the first all-electric cargo plane in the region. The first electric cargo plane will fully operate on clean electric energy, with zero emissions.
Sheikh Mohammed tweeted: The move is "an important step that may contribute to changing the future of the shipping sector and its environmental impacts."
The temporary license will support meeting green energy needs while lowering transportation costs for both companies and clients.
Because of growing concerns about global climate change, the UAE and the majority of governments are gradually shifting toward sustainable and eco-friendly transportation alternatives to reach net zero emissions.
The shipping sector is also pushing for more eco-friendly fuel and energy-efficient planes. Major aircraft manufacturers in the United States and Europe are developing an all-electric plane in addition to an electric vertical take-off and landing (evtol) plane. It is worth noting that the single-pilot Alice e-Cargo plane has a range of 815 km and a payload of 1,250 kg.
This license comes amid the priorities of the UAE's 2030 environmental vision. The vision aims to minimize the consequences of climate change, clean the air, and manage water resources and waste. A key goal of enhancing environmental conditions without jeopardizing 2030 economic growth has emerged from these considerations.
We also want to highlight that the UAE’s airlines are expanding their efforts to meet the 2050 net-zero emission target set by the country. During the era of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may Allah have mercy on him; he introduced a new climate neutrality strategy by 2050.
This leadership continues to prove itself in digital transformation in the Gulf region, aiming toward a clean economy. We appreciate that the UAE has maintained its commitment to reaching the planned environmental objective of mitigating the effects of climate change.
The UAE also establishes a global example in the renewable energy and environmental sectors. Etihad Airways, the national airline, was just selected as "Environmental Airline of the Year 2022" in the annual Airline Rating Awards for its industry-leading approach to boosting aviation sustainability for the airline and the industry.
Highlights of the UAE’s Council of Ministers meeting on Sunday:
- The Cabinet also examined the UAE's competitive and development indicators, which revealed that the country is experiencing higher growth rates than before the pandemic.
"Our indicators now are stronger than our indicators before the pandemic," Sheikh Mohammed stated on Twitter.
- Sheikh Mohammed explained that the UAE’s development rates today achieved first place globally in 156 indicators, compared to 121 indicators before the COVID-19 outbreak, and 432 indicators among the top ten globally, compared to 314 before the pandemic. The UAE ranks first globally in: attracting talents, infrastructure, flexible laws, adaptability, and more.
"The UAE, led by my brother, Mohammed bin Zayed, was the quickest to recover from the impacts of the largest pandemic humanity witnessed; the UAE was the most balanced between human health and economic interests," he continued.
- The foreign trade hit AED 1 trillion in the first six months of this year, up from AED 840 billion before the virus outbreak.
- During the meeting, the Cabinet also enacted a new law regulating the collaboration of the public and private sectors. The legislation encourages the private sector to engage in development and strategic initiatives, increase investments, and improve project competitiveness in local, regional, and worldwide markets.
"Our objective is to create opportunities and encourage the private sector to participate in developmental, economic, and social projects, as well as to form partnerships that lead to improved service quality."
- With the forthcoming winter season, the UAE anticipates a strong tourism recovery. According to figures released, the tourism sector's earnings hit 19 billion dirhams during the first half of 2022, while total hotel visitors reached 12 million, representing a 42% growth. In the first half of 2022, Dubai alone had 7.12 million foreign tourists.
- The Cabinet also approved several international agreements with Spain and Indonesia, besides other double taxation avoidance agreements with several countries.
Sources:
News: UAE to license region's first electric cargo plane – Khaleej Times
News: UAE licenses region's first electric cargo plane - Zawya
News: UAE: Laws approved for public-private ties, 1st electric cargo plane - Siasat
