The United Arab Emirates has hired Edelman to help its Directorate of Energy and Climate Change unit build in-house PR and research capability over the next 15 months.
The effort for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs unit begins with interviews in the U.S. to gauge awareness and message clarity of the UAE’s position on climate change and energy, according to Edelman’s agreement with the UAE.
Edelman staffers will then provide formal training and a ‘“how-to’ manual will be development during a Communications 101 course.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs facing the challenges presenting by climate change is a major priority for the UAE.
According to its website: “The UAE is a low lying coastal country with an arid climate and which already faces high temperatures. At the same time, we play a central role in the world’s energy economy as a supplier of fossil fuels, which gives us an important stake in finding solutions to cutting emissions while still providing the world with the energy it needs.”
Edelman reports to Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, who heads the Directorate. The UAE’s Abu Dhabi hosts the International Renewable Energy Agency, which was formed in 2009, to accelerate the growth of solar, wind and hydro power.