DUBAI: The 14th National Dialogue on Climate Ambition, organised by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), was hosted by Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) at its headquarters in Dubai.
This event is part of a series of sector-specific assemblies aimed at establishing a national sustainability outlook and guiding the country’s pursuit of climate neutrality.
The 14th assembly, organised in partnership with IMPACTGULF, explored how innovation can accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and examined the importance of green initiatives in linking digital transformation with sustainability.
During the event, seven additional entities from both the private and public sectors signed MOCCAE’s Climate Responsible Companies Pledge, bringing the total number of signatories to 138. Dubai Road and Transport Authority, Dubai Holding, Emirates Development Bank, Al-Futtaim Group, Stratecis, Antelope Toplink LLC, and IPT-energy are all committed to intensifying their efforts to combat c
limate change.
These entities will measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions transparently, develop ambitious science-based plans to reduce their carbon footprint and share these plans with the UAE government to contribute to achieving the national net-zero target by 2050.
Dr. Alanoud Alhaj, Acting Assistant Under-Secretary of Green Development and Climate Change at the MOCCAE, stated, ‘The National Dialogue on Climate Ambition underscores the Ministry’s commitment to fostering ongoing engagement with major corporates and the private sector, who are key partners in the UAE’s journey towards achieving net-zero by 2050.’
She added, ‘The private sector is instrumental in fostering innovation to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and facilitate the transformation of various industrial and service sectors into sustainable systems. Through collaboration and the sharing of best practices in this field, we can more effectively promote sustainable economic growth in the UAE.’
She concluded,
‘We are pleased that seven additional entities have signed our Climate Responsible Companies Pledge. By doing so, they are committing to aligning their efforts with our national decarbonisation drive. These companies recognise the opportunity in diversifying their business in pursuit of sustainability.’
Aisha Al Abdooli, Director of the Green Development Department at the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, delivered the keynote speech at the event, advocating the need to harness digital innovation to power impactful sustainability solutions.
In her speech, Al Abdooli emphasised the importance of domestic and international collaboration to drive digital innovation and foster shared knowledge.
The dialogue’s welcome address was given by Alya Al Zarouni, Chief Operating Officer at DIFC Authority, and Christoph Klarmann, Deputy Ambassador at the German Embassy in the UAE.
The 14th National Dialogue on Climate Ambition featured presentations from Yassin Nasri of IMPACTGULF and Joëlle Jammal, Execu
tive Director of United Nations Global Compact UAE. It concluded with a working session focused on ‘The Pros and Cons of AI for the Advancement of Sustainability.’ The session was moderated by Ahmed Ameen Ashour, Chief Sustainability Commercial Officer for Microsoft Middle East and Africa, and Shayma Kurz, CEO of Digital Advice Consulting.
Source: Emirates News Agency