Climate Change calls for harnessing digital innovation for sustainability solutions

Dubai (Al-Ittihad)
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) organized the 14th National Dialogue on Climate Ambition at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in Dubai. The event is part of a series of sectoral events aimed at establishing national sustainability prospects and highlighting the country’s efforts to achieve climate neutrality. The 14th dialogue, organized in collaboration with Impact Gulf, addressed the role of innovation in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy, in addition to the importance of green initiatives in linking digital transformation with sustainability.

Climate Responsible Companies
The dialogue saw the total number of companies signing the Climate Responsible Corporate Pledge rise to 138, with seven new companies and institutions from the public and private sectors joining: the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Holding, Emirates Development Bank, Al Futtaim Group, Stratisys, Antelope Toplink, and IPT Energy. All of these companies pledged to step up their efforts to combat climate change by measuring and transparently reporting their greenhouse gas emissions, developing ambitious science-based plans to reduce their carbon footprint, and sharing these plans with the UAE government to help achieve the national goal of climate neutrality by 2050.
“The National Climate Ambition Dialogue embodies the Ministry’s approach to continuous communication with major companies and the entire private sector, which represents a key partner in the UAE’s journey towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050,” said Dr. Al Anoud Al Haj, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Green Development and Climate Change Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
She added: “The private sector plays an important role in employing innovation to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and support the transformation of various industrial and service sectors into sustainable systems. Through cooperation and exchange of the latest practices in this field, we will be better able to support sustainable economic growth in the UAE.”
“We are pleased to see seven additional companies and organisations sign the Climate Responsible Corporate Pledge, demonstrating their commitment to aligning their efforts with our national decarbonisation drive. These companies believe that striving for sustainability and diversifying their businesses offers great opportunities for growth and success,” she concluded.

Digital Innovation and Sustainability
Eng. Aisha Al Abdouli, Director of the Green Development Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, delivered the keynote speech at the event, where she stressed the importance of harnessing digital innovation to find effective solutions for sustainability, and pointed out the importance of local and international cooperation to stimulate digital innovation and enhance knowledge exchange.
Alia Al Zarooni, Chief Operating Officer, DIFC Authority, delivered the welcome address at the dialogue, alongside Mr. Christoph Klarmann, Deputy Head of Mission, German Embassy to the UAE.
The 14th National Climate Ambition Dialogue also featured presentations by Yassine Nasri of Impact Gulf and Joel Jammal, Executive Director of the Global Compact Network in the UAE. The dialogue concluded with a working session focusing on “The Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence in Driving Sustainability.” The session was moderated by Ahmed Amin Ashour, Chief Commercial Sustainability Officer, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, and Shaima Kurtz, CEO, Digital Advice Consulting.