Qatar-based Global Carbon Council (GCC) renewed its commitment to sustainability by participating in UNFCCC’s Mena Climate Week that was held in Dubai, UAE, from March 28-31.
A delegation of climate and sustainability experts from the council joined the region’s first-ever Climate Week with insightful presentations on carbon markets and finance and climate advisory. Hosted by the government of the UAE, the event was organised in collaboration with UN Climate Change, UN Development Programme, UN Environment Programme and the World Bank Group.
During the four-day event, experts from the council presented, moderated and led a range of side events. Commenting on the council's participation in Mena Climate Week, Dr Yousef Alhorr, founding chairman of the Global Carbon Council, said: “The fact that UNFCCC’s Climate Week has come to Mena for the first time reflects the region’s promising potential to drive sustainability and meet our shared climate objective of limiting global warming to well below 2C. Guided by Qatar National Vision 2030 and the country’s National Environment and Climate Change Strategy, the Global Carbon Council is participating in this historic event to reaffirm Qatar’s pledge to the Paris Agreement.”
Attracting more than 100 stakeholders from different industries and government bodies, council representatives hosted a 90-minute session on the third day of the Climate Week, in which they discussed how the council is catalysing climate actions as the Mena region’s first and only voluntary carbon market.
Highlighting the role of carbon markets in achieving sustainable development of the region, the side event also promoted carbon finance opportunities for GHG emission reduction projects. In doing so, the session invited stakeholders representing council project owners, verifiers and others who shared their collective experiences of using the council's programme.
Moderated by Kishor Rajhansa, the Global Carbon Council’s chief operating officer, the session featured speakers who came from leading organisations such as the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), Verico SCE, Masdar and Bauer.
During the council's side event, seven presentations were delivered by seasoned professionals, including Amit Thusu, GCC director – Climate Action, who provided a general overview of the GCC programme, followed by an insight on integrating requirements on sustainable development goals and environmental and social safeguards in the council's programme provided by Joseph Prakash, senior manager – Climate Action.
Dennis Alexandersen, general manager & International Business Development at Bauer Resources GmbH, and Shashi Prakash, expert, Sustainability & Carbon at Masdar, provided presentations from project owners' perspective. An overview of the carbon neutrality of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was delivered by Orjan Lundberg, Sustainability expert at the SC.
From Germany, Werner Betzenbichler, executive chairman at Verico SCE, presented insights virtually from the verifiers' perspective. Andrea Bonzanni, International Policy director at IETA, shed light on double accounting under voluntary carbon markets.
On the fourth day of the Climate Week, the council concluded its engagement in the Climate Week by participating in a session titled 'The Latest on Carbon Markets and Pricing in the Mena Region' organised by IETA/World Bank, where Rajhansa briefed the audience on the council's role in catalysing climate action through its voluntary carbon market programme.
During the session, the panelists, including Rajhansa, discussed the challenges and opportunities of carbon pricing and markets that the Mena region faces after COP26, including the key role played by the private sector through participation in voluntary carbon markets and adoption of internal carbon pricing. The session also discussed some key takeaways of Article 6 and its implication for the region, particularly for the private sector and how regional corporations can support the efforts. The audience were given the opportunity to better understand the leading carbon pricing developments and recognise the benefits of carbon markets.
During the four-day event, experts from the council presented, moderated and led a range of side events. Commenting on the council's participation in Mena Climate Week, Dr Yousef Alhorr, founding chairman of the Global Carbon Council, said: “The fact that UNFCCC’s Climate Week has come to Mena for the first time reflects the region’s promising potential to drive sustainability and meet our shared climate objective of limiting global warming to well below 2C. Guided by Qatar National Vision 2030 and the country’s National Environment and Climate Change Strategy, the Global Carbon Council is participating in this historic event to reaffirm Qatar’s pledge to the Paris Agreement.”
Attracting more than 100 stakeholders from different industries and government bodies, council representatives hosted a 90-minute session on the third day of the Climate Week, in which they discussed how the council is catalysing climate actions as the Mena region’s first and only voluntary carbon market.
Highlighting the role of carbon markets in achieving sustainable development of the region, the side event also promoted carbon finance opportunities for GHG emission reduction projects. In doing so, the session invited stakeholders representing council project owners, verifiers and others who shared their collective experiences of using the council's programme.
Moderated by Kishor Rajhansa, the Global Carbon Council’s chief operating officer, the session featured speakers who came from leading organisations such as the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), Verico SCE, Masdar and Bauer.
During the council's side event, seven presentations were delivered by seasoned professionals, including Amit Thusu, GCC director – Climate Action, who provided a general overview of the GCC programme, followed by an insight on integrating requirements on sustainable development goals and environmental and social safeguards in the council's programme provided by Joseph Prakash, senior manager – Climate Action.
Dennis Alexandersen, general manager & International Business Development at Bauer Resources GmbH, and Shashi Prakash, expert, Sustainability & Carbon at Masdar, provided presentations from project owners' perspective. An overview of the carbon neutrality of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was delivered by Orjan Lundberg, Sustainability expert at the SC.
From Germany, Werner Betzenbichler, executive chairman at Verico SCE, presented insights virtually from the verifiers' perspective. Andrea Bonzanni, International Policy director at IETA, shed light on double accounting under voluntary carbon markets.
On the fourth day of the Climate Week, the council concluded its engagement in the Climate Week by participating in a session titled 'The Latest on Carbon Markets and Pricing in the Mena Region' organised by IETA/World Bank, where Rajhansa briefed the audience on the council's role in catalysing climate action through its voluntary carbon market programme.
During the session, the panelists, including Rajhansa, discussed the challenges and opportunities of carbon pricing and markets that the Mena region faces after COP26, including the key role played by the private sector through participation in voluntary carbon markets and adoption of internal carbon pricing. The session also discussed some key takeaways of Article 6 and its implication for the region, particularly for the private sector and how regional corporations can support the efforts. The audience were given the opportunity to better understand the leading carbon pricing developments and recognise the benefits of carbon markets.