The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) convened policymakers, technology players and global industrial leaders at COP28 in a series of specialised sessions to discuss enhancing the industrial sector's contribution to climate action and sustainable economic development.
The sessions took place under the umbrella of MoIAT's Decarbonizing Industry with Technology Program in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
The discussions align with the UAE's commitment to achieving climate neutrality, sustainable economic development, and accelerating decarbonisation across all national sectors. The initiative is part of the ministry's strategy to accelerate technology transformation and decarbonise hard-to-abate industrial sectors.
A high-level session titled “Technology in Decarbonization” included Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology and Gerd Müller, Director-General of UNIDO.
The session, which took place in COP28’s Blue Zone, addressed the opportunities and challenges related to decarbonisation, with a focus on the role of government in accelerating the development and deployment of decarbonisation technologies.
Al Amiri said,
“The industrial sector is responsible for one-third of global emissions. Driven by the UAE’s principle of turning challenges into growth opportunities, harnessing and adopting decarbonisation technologies in the sector holds high potential for growth and success. At the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, we are committed to promoting this in line with the objectives of UAE Net Zero by 2050 and National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology.”
During the session, Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, announced the launch of the UAE Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap.
RD for Climate Action
“Research and Development for Climate Action” discussed the pivotal role of RD in advancing solutions to address climate change. It highlighted the importance of global RD collaboration to accelerate climate action, as well as the existing challenges and opportunities in upscaling and commercialising climate technologies.
The session was held with the participation of Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM, Dr. Ray Johnson, CEO of Technology Innovation Institute and Professor Paul Monks, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in the UK.
Decarbonization of Hard-to-Abate Sectors
“Decarbonization of Hard-to-Abate Sectors: A Global Imperative” addressed global efforts, challenges, and opportunities in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors. The discussion focused on accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies and fostering collaboration to promote sustainable practices.
The session was held with the participation of Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, Dr. Roland Busch, President and CEO of Siemens AG, Fernando O. González, CEO of CEMEX, and Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, CEO of Emirates Steel Arkan.
Tripling Renewable Energy
‘The Roadmap to Tripling Renewable Capacity: Advancing the Energy Transition’ brought together policymakers, technology experts, and providers to identify strategies and highlight best practices for the effective integration of renewable energy resources into existing systems. The discussion explored opportunities to promote renewable energy applications for sustainable development, showcasing breakthroughs in relevant technologies, and examining the private sector's role in expediting adoption.
The session was held with the participation of Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of MoIAT, Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer at TotalEnergies, Roger Martella, Chief Sustainability Officer at GE and Phil Hart, Chief Researcher at the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Research Center.
Hydrogen
The session titled ‘Low-Emission Hydrogen for Net-Zero Industrial Development’, highlighted the role of the energy source in deep decarbonisation across industries including steel, cement, transport, and energy. The discussion brought together policymakers, technology providers, and experts to highlight the critical role of low-carbon hydrogen. It aimed to explore factors facilitating its production and applications throughout the industrial value chain, propelling industries towards a sustainable future.
The session was held with the participation of Abdulla Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Growth at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Martin Durbin, President for the Global Energy Institute in the US Chamber of Commerce, and Joe Wang, Secretary-General of the International Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association (IHFCA).
In line with the UAE leadership’s vision and nation’s commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the ministry’s participation in COP28 is aimed at encouraging industrial companies to embrace advanced technology solutions to enhance energy efficiency, promote sustainable practices, and adopt clean and renewable energy solutions.
MoIAT aims to boost and attract local and international invstments in sustainable and future industries, as well as enhance the growth, development, and competitiveness of the national industrial sector to strengthen the UAE's position as a global hub for innovation, aligning with the objectives of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
