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Year of Sustainability 2023: UAE’S Ministry Hosts Decarbonisation Workshop | |
| Radhika Laghate |
The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment hosted a Cement and Concrete Decarbonization Workshop to address the significant role these materials play in the country's carbon footprint.
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The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment hosted a Cement and Concrete Decarbonization Workshop to address the significant role these materials play in the country's carbon footprint. Embodied emissions resulting from the manufacturing, transportation, and construction of building materials account for 10% of the country's total CO2 emissions. The workshop aimed to bring together stakeholders from various industries to develop a comprehensive model for carbon removal across vital sectors, aligning with the UAE's Year of Sustainability 2023 and its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Over 100 participants, including developers, consultants, cement and concrete producers, project buyers, and government officials, attended the event, which was held at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
Reducing carbon emissions will require significant efforts from all sectors, including the construction and real estate industries, to adopt low-carbon technologies and invest in research and development to create innovative solutions that can reduce the carbon footprint of the cement and concrete sectors. Participants in the workshop highlighted the importance of developing environmentally friendly products that reduce environmental impact, emphasizing that the cement and concrete industries are crucial pillars of the UAE's economy.
Discussing Sustainable Building Practices
Director of the Climate Change Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Muna Alamoodi, urged all stakeholders in the supply chain to explore low-carbon options, including low-carbon cement, process optimisation, fuel diversification, distributed generation, and generating new demand for green products.
She also highlighted the role all stakeholders can and must play in accelerating the transition to decarbonization, whether by promoting sustainable building practices, specifying low-carbon materials, or through policy and regulatory interventions. Participants then discussed and identified practical solutions for decarbonizing embodied CO2 in buildings and infrastructure, suggesting a cement and concrete decarbonization roadmap for COP28.
The workshop emphasized that future cities will require sustainable cement and concrete building materials, which can be achieved through the collaboration of all stakeholders in the supply chain to achieve a more sustainable future. By working together to develop innovative solutions and adopt low-carbon technologies, the UAE can achieve its commitment to net-zero emissions and help limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.