The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) is poised to convene a gathering of government officials, industry leaders, academia, and international organizations during COP28, presenting the ‘Decarbonising Industry with Technology Programme.‘ In collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), MoIAT’s program aims to spotlight and delve into the opportunities, challenges, and success stories surrounding the integration of technology in achieving rapid, profound, and sustainable decarbonisation.
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, emphasized the inclusive nature of the initiative, stating, “We are facilitating discussions among policymakers, technology stakeholders, and executives from global energy and industrial corporations to formulate practical roadmaps for climate action and industry decarbonisation. Through the ‘Decarbonising Industry with Technology Programme,’ our goal is to address critical industry questions and provide a platform for partnerships leading to tangible solutions.”
Aligned with the UAE’s commitment to Net Zero by 2050, the program will concentrate on three primary pillars: industrial decarbonisation, accelerating the transition to green energy, and fostering innovation for climate action. Discussions within the sessions will focus on key enablers such as policy, regulations, technology, infrastructure, financing, and partnerships.
Gerd Müller, Director General of UNIDO, stressed the imperative of decarbonisation and green energy for global development and prosperity. He underscored the need for concrete solutions, given the projected 50 to 70 percent increase in global energy demand by 2050. Müller advocated for sustainable and inclusive economic growth, emphasizing the importance of transforming industrial and energy systems. He highlighted the existing technologies and knowledge necessary for this transition, calling for significant investments in decarbonisation, technology transfer, and global solidarity.
MoIAT will host four sessions in the Green Zone and one session in the Blue Zone, covering topics such as technology transfer, research and development in climate action, decarbonisation technologies, and renewable energy.
The Green Zone sessions, to be held on the Energy Transition Hub Stage, will cover topics like “RD for Climate Action” on December 1st, and on December 2nd, “The Roadmap to Tripling Renewable Energy Capacity,” “Low-Emission Hydrogen for a Net-Zero Industrial Development,” and “Decarbonisation of Hard-to-Abate Sectors.” These sessions will explore strategies and best practices for integrating renewable energy resources into existing systems and promoting cross-border RD collaboration. Specific attention will be given to the role of low-emission hydrogen and its application throughout the industrial value chain.
The Blue Zone session will feature key policymakers worldwide in a high-level panel discussing “Technology in Decarbonisation.” The focus will be on opportunities and challenges related to decarbonisation, with an emphasis on the government’s role in expediting the development and deployment of decarbonisation technologies.
A roster of high-level participants from entities such as 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, among others, will contribute to these sessions.
