We begin the day with ample time for registration, and if you’re an early bird, you can use this time to take advantage of extra networking time, as well as to survey our conference area, sponsors displays and to enjoy the complimentary refreshments on offer.

SMEN will welcome you to the conference, offering a brief outline of what’s to come in the day, when breaks will be held and how you can interact in person or digitally throughout the event.

Keynote speech from H.E. Sharif Alolama, Undersecretary, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

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

–      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 be essential to reduce the burden of exporters to the EU?

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 in GHG reduction worldwide

–      Large scale investments by UAE & KSA institutions

–      Impact on UAE & KSA economic development

Institutions in focus:

ADGM/ DIFC

UAE Carbon Registry

Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company (RVCMC) in KSA

Saudi Arabia’s Greenhouse Gas Crediting and Offsetting Mechanism (GCOM) 

Mubadala and MASDAR

ALTERRA

Blue Carbon

DEWA

NEOM

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?

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?

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?

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”?