UAE’s Step Towards Addressing Country’s Carbon Footprint

UAE's Aim To Carbon Reduction

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken a significant step towards reducing the country's carbon footprint by organising the Cement and Concrete Decarbonization Workshop. The event, which brought together experts from across the supply chain, aimed to address embodied emissions, which account for 10% of the UAE's total CO2 emissions and are associated with the manufacturing, transportation, and construction of building materials.

With over 100 participants in attendance, the workshop marked a milestone in the country's efforts to achieve a net-zero roadmap. In his opening remarks, HE Eng Essa Al Hashmi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Sustainable Communities and Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for Green Development and Climate Change, emphasised the critical importance of reducing carbon emissions to achieve the UAE's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The UAE is committed to playing a leading role in decarbonization efforts across all sectors, especially as it prepares to host the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) later this year. COP28 is a global platform dedicated to addressing climate change issues, and the UAE aims to be at the forefront of decarbonization initiatives.

Exploring Innovative Solutions

During the workshop, the importance of adopting low-carbon technologies, investing in research and development, and exploring innovative solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of the cement and concrete sectors was highlighted. Muna Alamoodi, Director of the Climate Change Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, commended stakeholders in the supply chain for their efforts to mitigate embodied emissions and urged the private sector to consider options such as low-carbon cement, process optimisation, and fuel diversification. 

The event concluded with participants working together to identify practical solutions for decarbonizing embodied CO2 in buildings and infrastructure. The unified outcome was the proposal to create a cement and concrete decarbonization roadmap for COP28, which will be held in the UAE later this year. This roadmap aims to bring all stakeholders together and develop an integrated mechanism to remove carbon from vital sectors, ensuring a tangible impact on their future sustainability while minimising further climate and environmental effects.

With this workshop and the upcoming COP28 conference, the UAE is demonstrating its commitment to combating climate change and leading the way in decarbonization efforts.