The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has shared that it will host leaders from governments, industry, academia and international organisations as part of a series of high-level sessions at COP28, named the ‘Decarbonizing Industry with Technology Program’.
In collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the event will highlight and explore the opportunities, challenges, and success stories of the role of technology in achieving rapid, deep and sustained decarbonisation.
Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, said: “We are bringing policymakers, technology players and executives from international energy and industrial corporations to the table to discuss practical roadmaps for climate action and decarbonizing industry. Through the ‘Decarbonizing Industry with Technology Program’, we aim to address some of the biggest questions facing industry today and offer a platform for partnerships that will result in concrete solutions.
Al Amiri added: “In line with UAE Net Zero by 2050, we are committed to doing all we can to drive positive change within industry, especially through the integration and utilization of advanced technology.”
The program will focus on three main pillars: industrial decarbonisation; accelerating the green energy transition; and innovation for climate action.
The sessions will look at enablers, including policy, regulations, technology, infrastructure, financing and partnerships.
Commenting on this and what’s ahead at COP28, Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said: “COP28 will be about concrete solutions. Global energy demand is projected to increase by 50 to 70 percent by 2050. We know we must adopt a sustainable and inclusive model of economic growth, and ensure that the countries of the Global South have a real development perspective. We need a major course correction towards sustainable, inclusive industrialization, which requires transforming our entire industrial and energy systems. That is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity. We have the technologies and the knowledge to enable this transition. What we need are large investments in decarbonization, technology transfer and global solidarity.”
MoIAT will host four sessions in the Green Zone and one session in the Blue Zone, focusing on topics such as technology transfer, R&D in climate action, decarbonisation technologies and renewable energy.
The Green Zone sessions will take place on the Energy Transition Hub Stage.
“R&D for Climate Action” will happen on 1st of December, while “The Roadmap to Tripling Renewable Energy Capacity”, “Low-Emission Hydrogen for a Net-Zero Industrial Development”, and “Decarbonization of Hard-to-Abate Sectors”, will take place on 2nd of December
Together, the sessions will delve into strategies and best practices for effective integration of renewable energy resources into existing energy systems, as well as how to promote cross-border R&D collaboration.
One session will spotlight the critical role of low-emission hydrogen and key factors that facilitate its rapid production and application throughout the industrial value chain. Another will highlight the global effort, challenges, and opportunities related to the decarbonization of industries and explore potential collaboration opportunities to accelerate the transition towards sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.
The Blue Zone session, involving key policymakers from around the world, will include a high-level panel on “Technology in Decarbonization”.
It will discuss the opportunities and challenges related to decarbonisation, with a focus on the role of government in accelerating the development and deployment of decarbonisation technologies.
Among the participants are high-level representatives from the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Advanced Technology Research Council, DEWA, Emirates Steel Arkan, Technology Innovation Institute, Energy Systems Catapult, BloombergNEF, Total Energies, General Electric, Siemens, Schneider Electric, CEMEX, US Chamber of Commerce, Bloom Energy and the International Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association. Many other industry leaders and academics from world-leading institutions will also join.