Industrial decarbonization was a major topic on the first day of the Make it in the Emirates forum, wherein panelists addressed the need to reduce emissions in the manufacturing session.

Panelists of the session titled Industrial Sustainability and the Roadmap Towards COP28 looked at the country’s initiatives to enhance industrial sustainability and achieve net zero.

As the UAE gears up to host the upcoming COP28, experts agreed it’s a call for stakeholders in the industrial sector to adopt sustainability measures.

The COP28 summit presents a “real opportunity” to analyze progress, get the world back on course, and boost the transition to a sustainable economy, said Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General and Special Representative of COP28.

“Our goal is to organize a successful COP28 with the participation of all stakeholders in the industrial sector,” he said.

Al Suwaidi stated how climate change affects all industrial and economic sectors, and so adopting sustainability measures in all industrial activities is vital to reducing emissions and building a greener economy. It is also important for countries to invest in sustainability as it can positively impact public health, he said.

Meanwhile, Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of Emirates Steel, described his group’s $3 million investments in reducing emissions. “We’re pioneering technological trends – from CO2 capture to potential hydrogen use – striving for the lowest possible carbon footprint. Our mission is unwavering: to steer the steel industry towards a sustainable future,” said Al Remeithi.

Fellow speaker Abdulnasser bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), noted his company’s efforts to cut emissions in the coming decades, saying, “Reshaping our energy landscape is no longer a choice but a necessity.” He also noted how decarbonizing emission-intensive sectors needs investment in the clean energy sector, and so EGA is planning to produce green aluminum using solar energy.

The COP28 summit is also an opportunity for climate change and environmental sustainability, he said. ADNOC’s Yaser Saeed Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Upstream Directorate, encouraged stakeholders to build “the energy system of tomorrow while meeting the energy needs of today.” Previously, ADNOC announced that it would invest $15 billion in reducing emissions by working with natural gas, hydrogen, and ammonia.

In the pursuit of growth and ambition, the responsibility to sustainability shouldn’t be forgotten, said Alan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Agthia Group. “From saving thousands of tons of packaging to reducing emissions and saving water to forging innovative partnerships and nurturing our team, every step we take is guided by a commitment to do better – for our consumers, for our customers, and for the planet.”

The company, which has ten factories, has reduced emissions by 4.3% and recycled 600 tons of materials in the last year.