EWEC’s strategic collaboration with Emirates Nature-WWF underscores the vital link between scaling renewable energy and low-carbon-intensive water production capacity and science-based environmental conservation
EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company), a leading company in the integrated planning, purchasing, supply, and system despatch services of water and electricity across the UAE, today marked World Environment Day 2026 by highlighting the critical importance of advancing verifiable climate action alongside the active preservation of the nation’s natural habitats.
Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Environment Day 2026 is held under the theme, ‘NowForClimate’. It serves as a global call to address the pressing challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. It is a powerful reminder that securing a sustainable future requires both the decisive reduction of carbon emissions and a strategically restored relationship with the natural environment.
This integrated approach aligns directly with EWEC’s mandate to accelerate the UAE’s transition to a decarbonised and sustainable future. The environmental impact of EWEC's strategic roadmap is highly measurable. By spearheading the transition to renewable energy and low-carbon-intensive reverse osmosis (RO) desalination technology, EWEC forecasts that by 2035 total carbon dioxide emissions will have decreased by nearly 46 per cent relative to 2019 levels, and solar is expected to provide around 40 per cent of total power generation.
Adel Alsaeedi, Senior Vice President of Project Development at EWEC, said: “World Environment Day reinforces the principle that climate action extends beyond emissions reductions. It requires a transformation of our water and energy system in harmony with nature. At EWEC, we are actively decarbonising Abu Dhabi’s water and power supply through the deployment of world-leading renewable energy projects, while simultaneously working with Emirates Nature-WWF to protect vital habitats and strengthen the nation’s climate resilience. By integrating sustainable infrastructure with science-based conservation, we are ensuring the long-term prosperity of both our economy and our natural heritage.”
Driving this progress is an unprecedented expansion of renewable energy infrastructure. EWEC is increasing Abu Dhabi’s solar capacity from 990 megawatts (MW) in 2020 to a forecasted 17.5 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. By commissioning some of the world’s largest single-site solar power plants, EWEC projects that installed solar capacity will exceed 30GW by 2035, resulting in the average carbon dioxide intensity from electricity generation falling significantly by 51 per cent, from 335 kilograms per megawatt hour (kg/MWh) in 2019 to 162kg/MWh by 2030.
EWEC’s climate action strategically extends beyond physical infrastructure. Through its landmark collaboration with Emirates Nature-WWF, the UAE’s environmental NGO, EWEC is directly scaling up conservation impact across the UAE, enhancing biodiversity, and strengthening climate resilience. This partnership supports comprehensive action across nature and wildlife protection, climate action, the green economy, food and water security, and civil society mobilisation. Furthermore, EWEC has also joined the UAE Alliance for Climate Action (UACA), and its employees participate in Emirates Nature-WWF’s Leaders of Change programme, engaging in specialised workshops and conservation field trips that support critical habitat restoration.
Through the accelerated deployment of renewable energy, advanced technologies, and strategic environmental partnerships, EWEC is supporting a more sustainable and resilient energy system. This comprehensive strategy directly supports the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and reflects the core objective of World Environment Day, which calls for rethinking and redesigning the systems that underpin environmental sustainability.
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About Emirates Water and Electricity Company
EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company) is the sole procurer and supplier of water and electricity in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. EWEC drives the planning, forecasting, purchasing, and system despatch services of water and electricity. EWEC fulfils these vital responsibilities through the short-term and long-term balancing of bulk supply and demand for distribution companies and authorities in Abu Dhabi and other Emirates. EWEC is supporting the government of Abu Dhabi and the government of the UAE by enabling the reduction of cost whilst also providing the increased security of supply that comes from a cleaner, larger, and more integrated system.
EWEC is mandated to implement strategic initiatives that will achieve the 60 per cent clean energy target outlined in the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy's (DoE) Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 for Electricity Production in Abu Dhabi, in addition to enabling the achievement of UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, UAE Energy Strategy by 2050, and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. EWEC is accelerating Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s energy transition by diversifying the country’s energy mix through developing and deploying renewable and clean energy as well as low-carbon intensive water desalination capacities. EWEC is part of ADQ, an active sovereign investor focusing on critical infrastructure and global supply chains. For more information, please visit: www.ewec.ae.
