UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment called upon businesses to embed sustainability throughout their operations

The UAE's Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, made a call today to companies in the country's vast retail industry to integrate sustainability into their operations, set higher standards for climate ambition, and encourage positive consumer behaviour in the process. Speaking at the 13th National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA), a monthly stakeholder forum hosted by the Ministry to promote all-inclusive participation and raise sector climate ambition, she emphasised the significant contribution the UAE's retail industry can make to realising the country's 2050 goal of becoming Net Zero.

Held at Dubai Chambers, the organisation that sponsors the yearly Retail Summit, an international assembly of retailers and industry specialists, the minister greeted the addition of 13 new companies to the UAE Climate Responsible Companies Pledge, increasing the total to 131. The pledge is an expression of their commitment to integrating sustainability into their business practises and encouraging partners and clients to take sustainable action.

Reports indicate that global retail supply chains account for 40% of plastic consumption globally and 25% of global emissions. Only 9% of the plastic produced worldwide now gets recycled, despite the fact that it is twice as much as it was twenty years ago. A key component of the UAE's strategic vision and climate goals is addressing how the retail industry perceives and handles emissions and plastic consumption.

The Minister emphasised in her closing remarks that companies who are adopting the green transition are reaping financial rewards and that a shift towards a more environmentally friendly future must enable all companies to seize these chances. She emphasised that the United Arab Emirates, through its Green Agenda 2030, is pushing companies to expand in a more sustainable manner by raising awareness and offering incentive programmes for companies that support green manufacturing, encourage the use of alternative fuels, and promote green jobs to recent graduates.

The following 13 companies have recently pledged to be UAE Climate Responsible Companies:

Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA); Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC); Future Glass; FIVE Holdings; Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD); Ricardo; Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB); Tristar; Transworld; Arabian Gulf Steel Industries (AGSI); HITACHI; IN2 Communications; M42 Mubadala Health and AMEA Power.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) initiated the National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA) as a forum to identify and enhance sectoral climate ambition and promote involvement in the United Arab Emirates' Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative. "Shifting to A Responsible Consumer Behaviour in the Retail Industry" was the theme of the thirteenth session. Topics such as "Greening Retail" and "Driving Retail Towards Net Zero: Opportunities, Incentives and Challenges" were discussed at roundtables and discussions. Omar Khan, the director of the Centre for Business Studies and Research, and Mohammed Lootah, the CEO and president of Dubai Chambers, were among the speakers.