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The path to a zero-emission automotive industry in the MENA region | |
| Staff Writer |
Oxford Business Group has come up with an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Intelligence report in partnership with General Motors (GM). It explores the key role that electric vehicle (EV) production could play in cutting carbon emissions and creating viable sustainable mobility solutions across Africa and the Middle East.
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The in-house ESG Intelligence has come up with a report, “Gearing up for the green automotive transition” which predicts seismic shifts underway in the global automotive industry, and the implications for production and consumption in Africa and the Middle East in an easy-to-navigate and accessible format, supported by data and infographics. R&D activities in developing the technologies and innovations required for low-carbon and zero-emission vehicles are among the other topics.
The ESG Intelligence report also talks about EVs and automated vehicles (AVs) meeting the expectations of consumers, with safety, reliability and affordability among the criteria requiring satisfaction. It talks of related infrastructure development, such as EV charging facilities, with vehicle production in markets across the Middle East and Africa.
The report includes a case study of how green automated taxis could revolutionise transport in Dubai and contains in-depth coverage of GM’s sustainability journey, evolving footprint across the Middle East and Africa, both of which are key destinations for the manufacturer’s green growth plans.
“Our commitment to this here in the Middle East is evidenced by our target of a 95% reduction in our annual operational carbon footprint in the UAE and our plan to launch 13 EVs in the region by 2025.. In the UAE, by 2035, we will have reduced our CO₂ emissions by more than 24,000 metric tonnes, and we are planning to make all our global products and operations carbon neutral by 2040,” Al Shurafa said.
Jana Treeck, OBG’s Managing Director for the Middle East, said the report pointed to a positive outlook for automotive players that were shifting the focus away from internal combustion engine vehicle sales and working towards zero-emission automotive production.
“The green transition in the automotive industry is gaining pace worldwide, bolstered by new regulations and a growing sense of urgency around emission reduction goals,” Treeck said. “With plenty more still to do, the opportunities for stakeholders to play a key part in curtailing carbon emissions across the Middle East and Africa, and make production processes more sustainable in an era of green growth, are huge.”
The second part of this ESG Intelligence report, produced in partnership with GM, will focus on the social and governance aspects of ESG, and will be released later this year.