Climate & Environment Forum

Monday 17th January

10.30 | Visit Exhibition

13.55 | Welcome Address

Jelena Lefavrais

Founder

GreenFootprint

14.00 | Commitments to carbon reductions targets - from neutral to net zero

Case Studies 

This presentation will look at how key organisations are putting in place strategies to reduce their carbon footprint, be that through plans to be carbon neutral by a set date, or to go net zero or net negative. What policies are they putting in place that result in actual reductions in their emissions and footprint, are they looking at their supply chain, and how do they measure their progress. 

14.00: Case study 1:

Ruchin Jain

Partner

McKinsey and Company

14.15: Case study 2:

Capucine Dourdin Jeunet

Sustainability Business Division Director

Schneider Electric

14.30: Case study 3:

Peter Harris

VP of International Sustainability

UPS

14.45: Case study 4:

Adrienne Doolan

CEO

Green Touches

15:00: Audience Q&A

15.15 | Rethinking climate & environment emissions reductions

Panel Discussion

Organisations can look at their direct emissions, and methods to reduce these. But what about the emissions that are both highest and most difficult to tackle – indirect emissions within the value chain. Known as scope 3 emissions they cover all points of a product’s or a service’s value chain, including raw materials, manufacture, transport, use and disposal. This panel will discuss ideas and approaches that can be taken to start reducing these emissions.

Anne Marie Thodsen

Managing Director

The Umbrella Institute

Faisal Ali Rashid

Senior Director, Demand Side Management

Supreme Council of Energy, Dubai

Marina Antonopoulou

Director, Climate and Nature Conservation

Emirates Nature – WWF

Priya Sarma

Sr. Sustainability Manager Mena,

Turkey, Russia, Ukraine & Belarus, Unilever

15.50 | Expanding the role of climate-linked finance

Panel Discussion

Globally, funds following environmental, social and governance principals are now worth more than $1 trillion. Increasingly, companies are looking for 'green' investment opportunities. What does this mean for the Middle East? What opportunities exist or are on the horizon and how can organisations ensure that their efforts lead to real change and not suggestions of greenwashing?

Confirmed speakers:

Moderator: Yusuf Macun

Managing Partner

Cranmore Partners

Darin Rovere

Founder and CEO

Sustainability Excellence

Dr Christian Tock

Deputy Director General

Ministry of Economy, Luxembourg

William Tohme

Senior Regional Head, MENA

CFA Institute

16.30 | Close of Day One

Tuesday 18th January

10.30 | Chair

Huda Masalmeh

Manager & Sustainability Consultant

Eedama

10.35 | Net zero energy and decarbonisation

Speech

H.E. Eng. Yousef Al Ali

Assistant Undersecretary

Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, UAE

10.45 | Break

11.10 | Planning for future hydrogen use

Case study

Presented by:

Gauri Singh

Deputy Director General

IRENA

11.35 | Decarbonising major industries

Panel Discussion

Industries such as metals, power, oil & gas and cement want to reduce their carbon footprint. Approaches under investigation include CCS, the electrification of supply, the use of alternative fuels such as hydrogen or biofuels, and in some cases, the use of Refuse Derived Fuel or increased use of scraps. This panel will discuss approaches to decarbonisation in major industries, how to define and set targets, getting buy-in from stakeholders and how progress can be monitored once a programme is underway.

Confirmed speakers:

Moderator: Gurmeet Kaur

Partner

Pinsent Masons

Anoop Nair

Chief Technical Services & Project Officer

Emirates Steel Industries

Tom Samson

CEO

Rolls Royce SMR

Salim Mousallam

Executive Director – Decarbonization Strategy

& Partnerships, GE Gas Power EMEA

12.20 | Decarbonising the environment: Nature-based climate restitution for business

Panel Discussion

Some businesses are now looking at nature-based opportunities to decrease their carbon footprint. Using forests, mangroves, sea grasses, etc as a carbon sink, what are the approaches that can be taken, where can it be used and what examples can organisations look at for inspiration. 

Confirmed speakers:

Vahid Fotuhi

Chief Impact Officer

Impact Adventures

Tanzeed Alam

CEO

Earth Matters

Florence Fontani

VP Communications & Sustainability

Engie

13.00 | Visit Exhibition

14.30 | Renewable energy certificates in Abu Dhabi

Presentation

Presented by:

Syed Fawad Ali Gilani

Partnership and Sector Risk Director

Abu Dhabi Department of Energy

Francois Brice

Fuel and Commercial Director

Emirates Water and Electricity Company

15.00 | Energy development trends in the context of net zero

Presentation

Presented by:

Francisco Estela

Technical Director, Middle East & Africa

Longi

15.20 | Building attractive socio-economic environment strategies

Panel Discussion

For any industry to build a social, economic and environmental plan several metrics must be considered. It must balance the needs of people, the economy and the environment, looking at advantages and disadvantages to build a focused, sustainable plan. This panel will look at some of the considerations that will help shape viable approaches to introducing stronger environmental policies, gender balance and more commitment to youth into an industry or company whilst also enabling growth.

Peter Leskovsky

Regional Energy Advisor

International Committee of the Red Cross

Jelena Lefavrais

Founder

GreenFootprint

Fazil Abdul Rahiman

Senior Manager

ESG, PwC

16.00 | Close of Day Two

Wednesday 19th January

10.30 | Welcome Address

Huda Masalmeh

Manager & Sustainability Consultant

Eedama

10.35 | Youth, climate and business: Tying it together

Panel Discussion

The youth voice in the climate debate has been loud and has influenced climate and environment-related decisions made by big business. That voice will also influence more sustainability-focused businesses in future. How should this continue to be fostered, and what more can business learn from the youth voice – their future consumers, employees and business leaders?

Confirmed speakers:

Moderator: Abdulla Al Zarooni

Trainee Diplomat

Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy

Monaem Ben Lellahom

Group CEO

Sustainable Square

Tatiana Antonelli Abella

Founder & Managing Director

Goumbook

Denisa Fainis

General Secretary

Mesia

Aisha Al Mazroui

Outreach Program Coordinator,

Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi

11.15 | Promoting sustainable business through the sharing economy

Panel Discussion

The sharing economy can also promote a greener economy. From ridesharing through hospitality to healthcare, the sharing economy is shaking up industry sectors. This panel will discuss the sharing economy, the short- and long-term environmental benefits it can bring, and what investment and regulations need to be in place to enable its growth.

Moderator: Marc Cirera

Founder,

Companies for Good

Asma Shabab

Senior Manager,

Innovation Consulting, Accenture

Ibrahim Colak

Founder and CEO,

Mr Usta

Salem Al Shamsi

Director

Authority of Social Contribution (Ma'an)

12.00 | Food security in desert environments

Panel

The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted not just the importance of food security, but also the challenge of achieving this in a water-stressed desert climate. Should countries avoid water-hungry crops, and instead focus on those better suited to difficult climates and poor soil? This panel will discuss how countries in the region can promote food security, in particular through new farming technology, and IoT and sensors to monitor and improve food production in a sustainable manner.

12.00: Presentation

Yazen Al Kodmani

Partner at 3Y Agriculture and Deputy General

Manager, Emirates Bio Farm

12.10: Panel

Moderator: Dr Sajid Maqsood

Professor, Food Science

UAE University

Yazen Al Kodmani

Partner at 3Y Agriculture and Deputy General

Manager, Emirates Bio Farm

Atle Idland

Desert Control

Soma Mater

Dr Majid Sultan Al Qassimi

Partner

Soma Mater

13.00 | Visit Exhibition

14.40 | Circular Economy: Holland Circular Hotspot

Case Study

A private-public platform in which companies, knowledge institutes and authorities work together to promote and support international collaboration and knowledge exchange around the circular economy.

 

Presented by:

Frederick van Eijk

Director,

Holland Circular Hotspot

15.00 | Circular Economy: From CO2 to valuable product

Case Study

Carbon dioxide is being used as the raw material to produce carbon nanofibres. These nanofibres can be used in a range of products, including within wearable technology, 3D printing, cement and medical products. 

Jan Sagmo

CEO

Bergen Carbon Solutions

15.20 | Tackling air pollution for long-term urban benefit

Panel Discussion

Air pollution levels fell globally during the lockdowns governments imposed to slow the spread of Covid-19. As people began to travel again, pollution levels increased. This panel will look at ways to mitigate pollution levels, what they are, how can they be enforced and who pays for them.

Confirmed Speakers:

Mohamed Al Hosani

CEO - Consultancy, Research and Innovation

Bee’ah

Dr. Diana Francis

Senior Scientist, ENGEOS Lab Head

Khalifa University

Peter Harris

VP of International Sustainability

UPS

Oriol Teixidó

Air Quality Scientist

Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi

Moderator: Tatiana Antonelli

Founder & Managing Director,

Goumbook

16.00 | Close of Climate & Environment Forum