Рубрика: Climate Change

Organizers have unveiled the agenda for Carbon Forward Middle East 2026, scheduled for 14 and 15 January at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre alongside the World Future Energy Summit. The two-day programme will convene policymakers, investors, project developers and climate experts to address both opportunities and challenges in building high-integrity carbon markets as the region assumes a larger role in global net-zero efforts, according to a statement from the organizers.

In the announcement, Shyam Parmar, event director at the World Future Energy Summit, said carbon markets are becoming a defining feature of how nations and industries plan their net-zero pathways. He added that hosting Carbon Forward Middle East within the summit creates a unified platform where decarbonisation technologies, policy frameworks and financial instruments can be discussed together. The event is organised by Carbon Pulse and Redshaw Advisors in strategic partnership with Offset8 Capital and forms an associated event of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week hosted by Masdar.

Mike Szabo, co-founder of Carbon Forward and Carbon Pulse, stated that last year’s inaugural Middle East event confirmed the region’s increasing ambition and readiness to build credible, scalable carbon markets. The 2026 programme will deepen dialogue on global trends, the current state of Middle East carbon markets and country updates from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Türkiye regarding emerging pricing frameworks and national mechanisms. Perspectives from Oman, Jordan and Morocco will cover Article 6 readiness while sessions will explore emissions trading systems, voluntary market investment and the role of sovereign wealth funds in climate finance mobilisation.

A Women in Carbon breakfast will open the second day followed by sessions on Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism obligations and regional impacts as well as aviation compliance strategies under CORSIA, the announcement detailed. Further discussions will address nature-based and engineered carbon removals with emphasis on innovation in the UAE and Oman in addition to carbon capture utilisation and storage for industrial decarbonisation. The event will close with a workshop helping companies assess CBAM-related risks, reporting requirements and future cost exposure.

The Middle East carbon credit market was valued at $4.72 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $31.28 billion by 2033 at a compound annual growth rate of 19.9 percent, according to a Grand View Research report. Saudi Arabia has progressed its voluntary carbon market through the Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company, which conducted auctions selling 3.6 million tonnes of credits including to major entities such as Saudi Aramco, according to regional policy updates. The UAE established the Carbon Alliance in 2023 and the first regulated carbon credit trading exchange under the Abu Dhabi Global Market to support its net-zero objectives, analyses of MENA climate policy show.

Louis Redshaw, co-founder of Carbon Forward and CEO of Redshaw Advisors, said every session has been designed and curated to provide a comprehensive carbon market agenda reflecting both the urgency and sophistication of climate action advancing across the region. Ivan Mozharov, co-founder and managing partner at Offset8 Capital, added that carbon markets in the Middle East are developing at a remarkable pace driven by progressive national strategies, advancing regulation and growing investor participation. The programme arrives as new mechanisms emerge in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman and Türkiye with accelerating clarity around Article 6 and cross-border cooperation.

The World Future Energy Summit, entering its 18th edition, drew more than 51,000 attendees from 124 countries in 2025, according to RX, the event organizer. Masdar, which hosts the summit as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, holds a global renewable portfolio exceeding 51 gigawatts and targets 100 gigawatts by 2030, the company has reported. Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week has convened government, private sector and civil society decision-makers for more than 15 years to advance sustainability dialogue and solutions.

Masdar has announced that the World Future Energy Summit will introduce new artificial intelligence tracks and innovation zones when it convenes in Abu Dhabi from January 13 to 15, 2026. The event, expected to draw 55,000 attendees, forms the main element of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and will focus on translating climate policy into actionable outcomes, the company said in a November 13, 2025 statement.

The Masdar statement outlined seven conference tracks addressing artificial intelligence, solar and clean energy, the circular economy, e-mobility with sustainable cities, pathways to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, water management and green finance. These will be supported by a two-day FUSE AI conference, the returning Carbon Forward program on climate risks and opportunities, an EU Hydrogen Council summit and a half-day Greenpeace session on just energy transitions. The expanded format also includes the FUSE AI Zone with more than 40 companies demonstrating AI applications for clean power, infrastructure and resilience alongside The Greenhouse platform featuring over 50 startups in climate technology, mobility and water solutions.

A new Greenpeace Cinema developed with Greenpeace Middle East and North Africa will screen environmental films that combine scientific evidence with regional human stories from climate front lines. Confirmed participants include DEWA, Tadweer, EWEC, Huawei, EDF, IRENA, Beeah, MESIA, MOIYAT and BYD among 800 exhibitors and 400 brands. The statement highlighted 20 government partners and 14 country pavilions as signs of the summit’s international reach at a time when low-carbon technology investments exceeded $386 billion globally in the first half of 2025.

Dr. Lamya Fawwaz, director of brand and strategic initiatives at Masdar, said in the statement, «As a core event of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the World Future Energy Summit is where the global energy ecosystem comes together to do business.» Fawwaz added that WFES will convene leaders from government, energy, technology and finance to drive real-world deployment and partnerships across key challenges while harnessing AI for scalable climate solutions. Masdar currently oversees a 51-gigawatt renewable portfolio and has set a target of 100 gigawatts by 2030.

Shyam Parmar, the summit’s event director, stated in the announcement that the 2026 edition with its interactive platforms and AI emphasis captures the pace of technological transformation in the sector. «We are creating a space where data, innovation and sustainability converge, turning insight into action across every part of the energy value chain,» he said. Abu Dhabi has hosted the Sustainability Week gathering for more than 15 years, establishing the emirate as a venue for advancing clean energy dialogues.

British Ambassador to the UAE Edward Hobart noted the immense scale of clean energy opportunities in the Middle East and worldwide. «The World Future Energy Summit showcases how innovation, investment, and international collaboration can unlock that potential,» he said. Hobart added that as the UAE leads in renewable and low-carbon solutions, the UK remains committed to partnerships delivering sustainable growth, green jobs and future technologies.

Ghiwa Nakat, executive director of Greenpeace Middle East and North Africa, said in the statement, «The urgency of the climate crisis demands more than facts — it demands concrete action.» Nakat explained that the organization will use the half-day conference and cinema to connect policy ambition with community stories and measurable initiatives that turn commitments into tangible regional impact. The release also referenced UAE commitments of $54 billion in renewables, $83 billion in climate funding from COP28 and $30 billion through the Alterra Fund alongside Saudi plans for $270 billion in renewable capacity.