climate action

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is dedicated to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 13) on Climate Action through a comprehensive strategy that includes rigorous tracking of low-carbon energy usage. The university actively monitors its total energy consumption, aiming to maximise the share sourced from low-carbon alternatives. It implements local education programmes focused on climate issues, fostering awareness and engagement among students and the community. The university’s shared Climate Action Plan outlines its commitments and initiatives, including cooperative planning for climate change disasters and collaboration with government agencies to inform and support policy decisions. Additionally, partnerships with NGOs enhance its environmental education efforts. Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is firmly committed to becoming carbon neutral, with clear timelines set for achieving this goal across all operational scopes, underscoring its resolve to contribute to a sustainable future. 

In 2023, with the launch of SUAD’s Go Green Year, the university reaffirmed its commitment to developing innovative solutions through education and interdisciplinary research. These efforts aim to support and guide society through the transformations it is currently experiencing—including globalisation, increased mobility, the digital revolution, demographic and health shifts, and the environmental transition. 

In tandem with the COP 28 and the Year of Sustainability, SUAD was committed to taking a proactive approach by positioning itself as a key player in the COP28 launch and placing sustainability as a core priority and driver through the Go Green Year 2023 Initiative. 

SUAD’s participation at COP28 was the culmination of a year of activities and events to mark its commitment to achieving a sustainable environment for the future. The university organised 14 research conferences at CoP28 in Dubai on critical themes encompassing climate change, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Leading specialists and researchers from around the world gathered under SUAD’s Environment Centre programme for COP28 to advance research on sustainability and climate change. 

Supported by a 360 marketing and advertising campaign, SUAD’s participation at COP28 has been highlighted on national radio, newspapers and live TV interviews that allowed SUAD to announce its strategy in terms of environment. 

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi has actively contributed to climate change research through projects focused on water desalination, soil analysis, archaeological discoveries that reveal the historical impacts of climate change, and the use of remote sensing and geolocation technologies. 

More recently, research at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi has advanced through a scientific lens, with a growing number of projects in the Department of Science and Engineering focusing on solar panels, deltas in extreme weather regions, and the use of nanoparticles in the development of new materials. Research has also expanded into the field of archiving, highlighting its critical role in climate change solutions.  

By integrating both the sciences and the humanities within its Environmental Research Centre, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is establishing itself as a leading institution in the higher education and research landscape—offering a distinctive and multidisciplinary approach. 

Below are some examples of ongoing research projects: 

• Development of Novel Technology for Water Desalination: Low Energy Consumption and High Compatibility with Clean Energy 
  
  
• Human Occupation and Landscape Evolution During the Holocene Climatic Variation in The UAE Desert (HOLE). Case Study of a Gravel Plain in The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) 
  
  
• Climate Change Impact on the UAE Artificial Islands. Monitoring the Coastal Risk in UAE 
  
  
• Ancient Tyre: How To Water an Island AquaTyr 
  
  
• Intelligence Location and Sustainability—Highlight the Role of Remote Sensing and GIS in Achieving sustainability: Case Studies from the UAE Collective Research 
  
  
• Smart Optical Films: Controlling the Optical Properties of Nanostructured Oxide-Based Polymer Films 
  
  
• A Pre-study on Greening Information Management for Sustainable Development 

This trio of short presentations brought physicists and mathematicians together to discuss the role of novel materials and statistics in the path to sustainability. The conference was focused on three principal trends of research: 

 1) the use of innovative fabrication techniques to enhance both optical and thermoelectric properties of structural layers used for energy harvesting applications,  

2) the deployment of nonparametric statistics for estimating intermittent and stochastic quantities arising from integrating renewable resources into existing power systems, and  

3) the development of environmentally friendly materials with new properties derived from the utilisation of nanoparticles in combination with polymer matrices. 

The conference formed part of one of COP28’s core themes, focusing on environmental damage. A central issue explored was the legal representation of nature and how to compensate for harm caused to it. As nature does not possess legal personality, alternative means of representation were examined. Examples included the involvement of environmental protection associations and the possibility of granting legal status to nature parks. This prompted the broader question of whether such measures are sufficient, or if legal personality should be extended to other elements of nature, such as bird populations or forests. The conference also examined how environmental damage can be assessed and repaired, including the viability of in-kind reparation. Both public and private international law were considered, given that such damage often transcends national borders. Discussions addressed legal representation, preventative measures, and compensation mechanisms, with a particular focus on how legal professionals in the UAE interpret and respond to these challenges within the existing legislative framework. 

Climate change has become topical over the past few years and manifests itself in many ways, including rising sea levels and severe weather conditions among others. Scientists, researchers, meteorologists, farmers, and many other stakeholders are relying on historical data contained in archives to understand climate trends across the globe. Although there is limited literature on the contribution of archives to climate change research, the reliance on archival resources to understand the past and anticipate future developments is well recognised. The focus of this seminar was to encourage discussions on how archives can support efforts to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change. 

The concept of a twin transition—combining digital transformation with environmental sustainability—has gained significant traction in recent years. UNCTAD recognised that “green and digital technologies are increasingly becoming intertwined,” while the European Commission stressed that Europe’s digital transition is closely linked to the European Green Deal. Both transitions have been identified as mutually dependent and essential to Europe’s future. The UAE’s climate policy similarly reflects this alignment between digitalisation and environmental sustainability, positioning the nation as a leader in economic diversification and innovation. However, the increasing deployment of digital technologies to achieve climate goals presents several challenges, including financial costs, environmental impact, and concerns related to human rights and digital ethics. This conference panel brought together high-level speakers from academia, industry, and government to examine the key challenges and notable achievements in leveraging digital technologies to tackle the climate crisis. 

The YOUTH COP is an entirely virtual mock negotiation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP), organised by Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Université Paris Cité and the Universidade Federal do Ceará. The project aims to provide a platform for university students from diverse backgrounds and regions worldwide to:  

1. Develop critical thinking about climate change challenges 
   
   
2. Understand and promote the roles of states and international organisations in shaping global climate policies 
   
   
3. Improve interpersonal skills such as teamwork, compromise, and conflict resolution 

By offering students the opportunity to engage in simulated COP process, the project helps build a more informed and empowered youth community ready to advocate for sustainable solutions on the global stage. 

The conference, organised by Dr. Julia Motte-Baumvol and Prof. Tarin Frota Mont’Alverne, aimed to provide a legal forum for debating the various aspects of the energy transition, including adaptation, mitigation, loss and damages, financing, and global cooperation (North-South and South-South). The conference also examined the commitments made by states at global, regional, national, and local levels—analysing strategies for achieving these goals, the challenges encountered, and potential solutions to ensure a just and equitable multilateral approach. It played a significant role in supporting the UAE’s efforts to establish itself as a global leader in addressing climate change. 

Prof. Mateo Spagnolo Personal Chair, University of Aberdeen  

Prof. Kosmas Pavlopoulos, Professor of Environmental Geomorphology-Geology (Leading as Co-PI)   

A key to addressing long-standing questions about the underlying mechanisms of climate change in the Mediterranean—such as the timing and amplitude of precipitation variability—is the development of a multiproxy record (e.g., pollen, glacial and marine sediment data) that spans multiple glacial–interglacial cycles and is sensitive to regional hydroclimatic changes.  

As mountain glaciers change volume in response to climatic shifts, their former extents record past changes in climate, providing data on how patterns of ice distribution have varied spatially with time. Mapping and dating of past ice margins, documented by terrestrial glaciogenic sediments and landforms, provide valuable information to gain a better understanding of landscape evolution. To compare palaeoglaciers across different geographical settings, the Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA) serves as a valuable tool. It represents the altitude on a glacier where annual accumulation equals ablation and is primarily influenced by air temperature and precipitation.  

Prof. Kosmas Pavlopoulos, Professor of Environmental Geomorphology-Geology, SUAD (Leading as PI) 

Dubai has emerged as a hub of architectural innovation, with landmark artificial island projects such as Palm Island and The World Islands attracting substantial tourism and real estate investment. Abu Dhabi has followed suit with developments including Yas Island and Al Maryah Island. However, climate change presents a considerable challenge to the long-term viability of these projects. Recognising this, the UAE renamed the Ministry of Water and Environment to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in 2016, signalling a strategic shift in policy to address critical environmental concerns, including a 25% increase in carbon emissions since 1958 and a rise in sea levels from 1.7 mm to 3.2 mm per year. This research proposal focused on the geological and geotechnical challenges associated with artificial islands, with particular attention to the effects of climate change, ocean acidification, and sea level rise on infrastructure sustainability. The project supported PhD student Walid Mekni, under the supervision of Prof. Kosmas Pavlopoulos at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. 

Dr. Proscovia Svard, leading the seminar with Dr. Victor Kabata as a participant, focused on the role of archives in addressing climate change, particularly in relation to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 13), which aims to combat climate change and its impacts. The seminar addressed the growing reliance on historical data from archives by scientists, researchers, and other stakeholders to understand climate trends, despite limited literature on the subject. 

The seminar's objectives included examining how archives can contribute to the development of environmentally friendly practices, discussing methods to promote sound documentation to combat climate change, and exploring ways to enhance collaboration between archival institutions and climate action advocates. Speakers from academia, climate action experts, researchers, policymakers, and activists from the UAE were invited to participate. 

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s Geography & Urban Planning students participated in an insightful session titled “Renewables for Survival: Fostering Food and Water Security with Renewable Energy” at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The session discussed the challenges and opportunities for renewables in the context of food and water security, as well as practical experiences illustrating the importance of the food-water-energy nexus. 

The students had the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the industry, as well as network with organisations that are actively promoting sustainability through the use of advanced technologies. 

As part of SUAD’s participation in the United for Climate Initiative, the students crafted artwork using recycled materials. The planned installation was displayed at the Dubai Expo during the COP28 conference.  

As part of its Go Green 2023 Initiative, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi organised a Sustainability Day on campus to raise awareness about climate change and promote sustainable practices among students. The event featured interactive activities, discussions, and workshops focused on the latest developments in sustainability and ecological conservation. Participants gained valuable insights into recycling, reducing their carbon footprint, and making environmentally friendly choices in their daily lives. 

The event featured a lively marketplace with exhibitors showcasing innovative sustainable development products and services from the region. Notable participants included the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, Youth 4 Sustainability, Emirates Nature-WWF, and several others. This marketplace helped attendees recognise the importance of environmental responsibility and encouraged them to be mindful of their actions in protecting the planet. 

The Sustainability Club at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices within the university community. Through various initiatives, events, and projects, the club engages students in discussions about climate change, conservation, and sustainable living. It serves as a platform for members to collaborate on initiatives that promote eco-friendly practices, raise awareness of sustainability issues, and cultivate a sense of environmental responsibility. By empowering students to take meaningful action, the Sustainability Club plays a pivotal role in advancing the university’s commitment to sustainability and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Students have been actively engaged in a wide range of sustainability-related activities and initiatives. Law student Malick Kouassi Traoré was nominated as the university’s Green Ambassador, becoming the official spokesperson for the student community on environmental matters.