Assessing the UAE’s institutional and investment frameworks to catalyse the renewable energy transition

Abstract Amid accelerating climate change, persistent global energy security concerns, and the imperative to provide sustainable and affordable energy for all, the expansion of renewable energy has become a universal priority. Yet the widespread adoption of renewables demands substantial financial and technological investment—resources that many states, particularly in the developing world, cannot mobilise independently. This reality underscores the critical importance of promoting foreign investment in the renewable energy sector, especially in light of the limited success of international initiatives to date. Among a handful of states that have assumed leadership in the global energy transition, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a frontrunner—not only within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) but across the broader developing world. Since the early 2000s, the UAE has pursued ambitious policies aimed at deploying renewable energy technologies both domestically and internationally. This article seeks to address a central question: what factors have enabled the UAE to emerge as a regional pioneer in renewable energy development, and in what ways is it contributing to the global energy transition? Employing a qualitative methodology, the study explores the UAE’s renewable energy development trajectory. The findings reveal that the State’s institutional architecture, its regulatory and investment frameworks—both national and foreign—and its commitment to fostering international partnerships constitute the core pillars of its energy transition strategy. The article concludes by identifying key practices with broader relevance for policymakers, international negotiators, and academics engaged in the global energy and climate governance discourse.