Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap

At COP28 in December 2023, the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology unveiled the Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap in line with Operation 300bn, aiming to support the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategy. This roadmap's primary goal is to cumulatively reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the industrial sector by 2.9 gigatonnes by 2050, aligning with the UAE’s Third Update of its Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The roadmap focuses on heavy emitting manufacturing sectors such as cement, iron, steel, and aluminum, and is structured into three phases:

1. Phase 1 (by 2030): Aims to achieve a 5% reduction in emissions.
2. Phase 2 (by 2040): Aims to achieve a 63% reduction in emissions.
3. Phase 3 (by 2050): Aims to achieve a 93% reduction in emissions.

The roadmap evaluated over 50 decarbonization methods, technologies and innovative solutions to achieve these ambitious targets, with key ones listed below:

• Clean Electricity: Transitioning to clean and renewable energy sources.
• Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS): Using technologies for capturing, utilizing and storing CO2 emissions.
• Manufacturing Efficiency: Improving industrial processes to reduce waste and emissions.
• Alternative Fuels: Utilizing low-carbon fuels.
• Recycling: Enhancing recycling processes to minimize waste.
• Clinker Substitutes: Using alternative materials in cement production.
• Hydrogen: Adopting hydrogen as a clean energy source.

The implementation of such technologies and solutions are projected to cut 90 million tons of carbon dioxide annually.

The Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap is a cornerstone among several initiatives launched at COP28 to address industrial emissions, marking a significant step towards achieving the UAE’s ambitious climate goals. In alignment with the ambitious goals set by the Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap, the ministry is also co-chairing:

• The Cement & Concrete Breakthrough Initiative alongside the Government of Canada.
• The Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA)