The Sustainability Middle East Conference – focussed on Energy Transition & Renewables is officially endorsed by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and powered by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure is set to take place on January 09, 2025.
Below is a complete schedule and a brand new agenda for the much awaited SMEN Conference which will feature sessions on sustainability, energy transition and renewables, powered with impactful speeches by experts and dignitaries from the Middle East and beyond.
Background:
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries have announced ambitious GHG reduction targets. This will have a direct impact on economy of the region by multibillion dollar investments in the decarbonisation of all sectors. At the same time several obligatory international emission trading systems provide the stage for a new wave of carbon credit generation that can create imminent opportunities.
SUSTAINABILITY MIDDLE EAST CONFERENCE 2025
9th January, 2025
9:15 – 9:30 Opening Keynote speech
Keynote speech from H.E. Sharif Alolama, Undersecretary, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
9:35 – 10:15 - Session 1: Impact of COP29 on UAE & KSA companies
This session will provide a short overview of the upcoming impact of various GHG reduction schemes on UAE business, including a general time frame, expected quantities and set the stage for the detailed discussions in the following sessions:
- CORSIA - Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation
(Assessment of the impact on the UAE and KSA airline industry with expected volume of required emission reduction and carbon offsets)
- CBAM - EU Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism
(Assessment of the impact on UAE and KSA aluminum, steel, chemical industry with expected volume of carbon credits required and cost inflicted)
- Article 6 Paris agreement - Possibilities for UAE & KSA companies to invest in GHG reduction in UAE and internationally
- Internal UAE & KSA emission trading system announced at COP 28 - Actual state of implementation, upcoming obligations on UAE & KSA companies,possibilities to generate income for GHG reductions in UAE and abroad
Discussion:
- Emission reduction impact on UAE and KSA economy?
- Perspectives for UAE & KSA companies?
- Will the Trump presidency have a relevant impact?
- Will an UAE and KSA emission trading system essential to reduce the burden of exporters to the EU?
10:20 – 11:00 - Session 2: Financial resources for GHG reduction in UAE & KSA (roundtable)
UAE and KSA target to become a center of carbon finance. Billions of US$ have been already activated. This session focusses on the large institutional investors to demonstrate the magnitude of the upcoming capital flow into large scale projects.
- Role of UAE & KSA as one of the most important strategic investors worldwide in GHG reduction worldwide
- Large scale investments by UAE & KSA institutions
- Impact on UAE & KSA economic development
Institutions in focus
ADGM/ DIFC:
- Building a cluster for GHG finance institutions in UAE
Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company (RVCMC)
- Mission of the KSA-PIF sponsored emission trading initiative in KSA
Mubadala and MASDAR:
- Scope of investment in and outside UAE
- Further targets and developments
ALTERRA, US$30 billion world largest decarbonization investment vehicle
- Target industries
- Investment policy
- Perspective for UAE industrial development
- How to access funding for UAE industry
Blue Carbon:
- Leading role as investor in forest conservation and reforestation
- Global impact of a multibillion investment in UN Paris Agreement Art 6.
DEWA:
- Large scale investments in renewable power
- Future plans for increase of renewable power capacity, decarbonization of power supply
NEOM:
- Large scale production of green hydrogen/ammonia for export
- Update on the PIF “Energy Solutions Company” for creating of an integrated hydrogen industry in KSA
Discussion:
- How to utilize the momentum to make UAE into a center for global carbon finance?
- How to compete or cooperate with similar initiatives in KSA?
- How to utilize the allocated finance to stimulate UAE/KSA GDP?
11:05 – 11:45 - Session 3: CORSIA: Imminent opportunity for project finance in UAE
CORSIA has the potential to create imminent demand for carbon credits, as due to change of regulations only government approved GHG reductions are eligible. All airlines are struggling to find new secure sources for offsets. SME in energy efficiency, agriculture, waste management and transportation could profit by providing genuine solutions in-country and same time resolve many domestic environmental issues.
- Policies of GCC airlines to reduce GHG emissions and acquire offsets
- Potential to generate CORSIA compliant carbon credits in UAE and KSA
- Project types for CORSIA credit generation
- Authorization procedure by MOCCAE and KSA Ministry of Energy
Discussion:
- How urgent are airlines looking for carbon credits?
- How SME in UAE and KSA can participate in the fast generation of carbon credits for aviation?
- Which institutional infrastructure is necessary to jump start carbon credit generation in UAE and KSA?
11:50 – 12:30 - Session 4: Synthetic aviation fuels for UAE and KSA airline industry
Synthetic aviation fuels will need a long time to reach relevant quantities. The UAE has sufficient resources and internal demand to become a technology forerunner and produce manufacturing equipment in-country as well as for export. The UAE cement industry and refiners are in a pole position due to high local demand, short distances and existing industrial infrastructure. KSA geography is different but has the potential to generate larger quantities in the long term.
- Overview of SAF demand and production technologies
- Sources of CO2 in UAE and KSA for Synthetic fuel production
- Bundling of Hydrogen production, CO2 separation and Oxygen utilization
- Securing technology and IP for SAF production
- Accelerate decarbonization of cement production and refining in UAE and KSA by SAF production
Discussion:
- Are the Northern Emirates predestined to become a leading producer of SAF?
- What are the obvious industrial synergies in UAE and KSA for SAF production?
- Who will be the players, which industries will profit?
- Is there a first-mover advantage?
- Does KSA have the better long-term perspective for SAF production?
12:35 – 13:15 - Session 5: Green & Blue Ammonia production for Shipping
This session will provide an overview of the current state of Ammonia production projects in UAE and KSA. Ammonia production is in tandem with large scale green and blue hydrogen production. In future Ammonia can be used both for ship propulsion and as a medium for hydrogen exports. Limited space for PV in UAE could bring UAE and KSA to different technology paths.
- Overview of green & blue Ammonia production technologies
- Ongoing projects in UAE for Ammonia production
- Perspective for UAE and KSA Ammonia industry
Discussion:
- How important is Ammonia production for the future of shipping in the Gulf?
- In which sectors of the Ammonia value chain the GCC can excel?
- Will KSA concentrate on “green” Ammonia and UAE on “blue”?
13:20 – 14:05 LUNCH BREAK
14:10 – 14:25 - Keynote Speech by Eng Faisal Ali Rashid, Senior Director, The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy
14:30 – 15:10 - Session 6: Building an GHG reduction industry in UAE and KSA
Until 2050 about 70GW of electrolyzer capacity have to be installed in UAE alone. There is only a limited number of producers for electrolyzer and carbon removal technologies.
UAE and KSA have the potential market uptake and industrial infrastructure to host its own high value electrolyzer and carbon removal industry, before competition with USA, China, India will start.
KSA-Korean and UAE-Korean cooperation could be an example how to speed up technology transfer for equipment production in GCC.
- Key technologies to sequester CO2 relevant to UAE and KSA
- Potential for electrolyzer production in UAE and KSA
- Carbon Capture technology development /research in UAE and KSA
- International cooperation for technology transfer to GCC
- UAE and KSA governments plans for H2 production and CO2 capture technology research
Discussion:
- Should UAE and KSA become owners of technology instead of buyers?
- Who is willing to transfer key technologies to GCC?
- What are the requisites to stimulate the development of a UAE/KSA based climate-tech industry?
- How to speed up home grown climate-tech industrial development in UAE and KSA?
15:15 – 16:00 - Session 7: Support for UAE and KSA exporters affected by EU-CBAM by domestic action
The necessary compliance to EU-CBAM can jump start the development of internal UAE and KSA emission trading systems to match the level of carbon reduction in Europe.
This is not only a stimulation for investments into energy efficiency measures at the directly affected aluminium, fertilizer and steel industries, but could provide finance for numerous SME to generate emission offsets in UAE and KSA.
This way the necessary expenditures for offset purchase that would benefit the EU could remain in country and generate additional GDP as well as further ecologic benefits.
- Plans of UAE government to match the EU- Emission Trading System
- KSA GCOM potential
- Project types for production of eligible emission reductions
- Procedure for project registration in UAE and KSA
- Time table-for implementation
Discussion:
- How to avoid outflow of capital from GCC to comply with foreign emission trading systems
- Can GCC SME help affected exporters to fulfill their obligations?
- When will the announced national emission trading systems start operating?
16:05 – 16:45 Conference Roundup:
Potential of UAE and KSA becoming power houses for GHG reduction technologies
- UAE and KSA can become a owners of key technologies and IP
- UAE and KSA can become large international players in emissions trading
- Local demand for carbon credits can produce funding for SME
- Action agenda
Discussion:
- What is the potential for climate-tech equipment production in UAE/KSA?
- How to jump start investment in production and research capacities?
- Will GCC industry profit from emission trading?
- Will a unified emission trading market be beneficial for UAE and KSA or will competition speed up progress?
To learn more about the SMEN 2025 Conference and to register your participation Click Here
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