'Make it in the Emirates' addresses industrial decarbonisation

Industrial decarbonisation was a key theme on the first day of the Make it in the Emirates Forum on Wednesday, where delegates addressed the need to reduce emissions in the manufacturing sector.

A panel session titled Industrial Sustainability and the Roadmap Towards COP28 focused on initiatives being implemented under the UAE’s efforts to enhance industrial sustainability and achieve net zero.

COP28 presents a “real opportunity” to review progress, get the world back on course and accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy, Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General and Special Representative of COP28, said.

“Our goal is to organise a successful COP28 with the participation of all stakeholders in the industrial sector.” 

He noted how climate change impacts all industrial and economic sectors, and that adopting sustainability measures in all industrial activity is vital to reducing emissions and building a greener economy. Al Suwaidi added that it is important for countries to invest sustainability as it can positively impact public health.

Also speaking on the session, Engineer Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Steel described the group’s $3 million investments in reducing emissions.

“We’re pioneering technological trends – from CO2 capture to potential hydrogen use – striving for the lowest possible carbon footprint. Our mission is unwavering: to steer the steel industry towards a sustainable future,” Al Remeithi said.

Speaking on his company’s efforts to cut emissions in the coming decades, Abdulnasser bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), said “reshaping our energy landscape is no longer a choice but a necessity.”

Bin Kalban noted how decarbonising emission-intensive sectors requires investment in clean energy, and described how EGA is planning to produce green aluminium using solar energy.

He also mentioned how COP28 represents a significant opportunity for climate action and environmental sustainability, particularly in the context of industry.

ADNOC’s Yaser Saeed Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Upstream Directorate, also urged stakeholders to focus on building “the energy system of tomorrow while meeting the energy needs of today.”

He described how ADNOC has previously announced it will invest $15 billion in reducing emissions by working with natural gas, hydrogen and ammonia.

The panel also included Alan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Agthia Group, who spoke about sustainability as an important factor in business growth.

"In our pursuit of growth and ambition, we must never forget our responsibility to sustainability,” said Smith. “From saving thousands of tons of packaging to reducing emissions and saving water to forging innovative partnerships and nurturing our team, every step we take is guided by a commitment to do better - for our consumers, for our customers, and for the planet.”

Agthia, which has 10 factories, has reduced emissions by 4.3 per cent and recycled 600 tons of material in the past year, Smith told the audience.

The Make it in the Emirates Forum takes place from May 31 to June 1 at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre under the theme Investment. Sustainability. Growth. It is being hosted jointly by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, and ADNOC.