UAE announces ‘Blue Residency Visa’ as part of extended Year of Sustainability

The UAE has made a groundbreaking announcement on the launch of a ‘Blue Residency Visa’ – set to be granted to individuals making significant contributions to environmental protection and sustainability, offering them a 10-year residency in the Gulf state.

Building upon the success of last year’s initiatives, the UAE is continuing the ‘Year of Sustainability’ throughout 2024 to foster environmental consciousness and sustainable practices, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed announced last February.

The ongoing sustainability campaign is an open invitation to everyone living in the UAE to become a part of the collective effort to adopt sustainable practices. It is aimed at instilling a sense of responsibility among the country’s diverse population.

Cementing UAE’s role as global leader in sustainability

Last November, the Emirates hosted the biggest annual climate conference at Expo City Dubai. The COP28 Summit convened participants from hundreds of countries to make decisions on some of the most pressing challenges facing the planet today.

On the first day itself, people attending COP28 Dubai agreed to operationalise the landmark Loss and Damage Fund to compensate vulnerable countries for consequences of climate crisis. In addition, the UAE Consensus seeks to help the world transition away from fossil fuels.

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and COP28 President, is prominent across the globe for his deepening focus on climate action and sustainability initiatives.

Taking to X on Thursday, he noted that the ‘Blue Residency Visa’ announced by the UAE leadership is set to further cement the UAE’s role as a global leader in sustainability, environmental management and nature conservation.

UAE’s ‘Blue Residency Visa’ can create impactful solutions

The initiative supports the UAE’s extended Year of Sustainability, reflecting the nation’s remarkable success in hosting COP28, the Emirati minister noted, adding the visa can further establish the UAE as a frontrunner in the development of tech to fight climate change.

COP28 Dubai reflected the Gulf state’s unflinching commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation and developing a united global approach to the challenges of climate crisis, such as elevated average global temperatures and intensified natural disasters.

“The ‘Blue Residency Visa‘ aims to attract global environmental leaders to contribute to the UAE’s sustainable economic and social development. It underscores the nation’s dedication to leveraging advanced technologies and AI to create impactful solutions,” he added.