The UAE, a small Gulf state, has demonstrated a masterclass in foreign diplomacy by being able to speak to different sides on numerous issues. This approach has allowed the UAE to navigate through the chaos of global instability, as seen in Modern Diplomacy. The raging Gaza conflict in the Middle East is not the only pressing issue facing the global community. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is approaching its second anniversary, and the US and China’s rivalry is also in focus. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service recently confirmed 2023 as the hottest year on record, with temperatures in January 2024 also exceeding records. The mean temperature for February 2023 to January 2024 remains the highest on record, 1.52 degrees Celsius above the 1850–1990 pre-industrial reference period. Climate change is a raging issue, but it does not imply a permanent breach of the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold set by the 2015 Paris agreement. The UAE has played a role in bridge bu...