Climate Change, Decarbonization and Energy Transition were the key focus points of The Arab Green Summit (TAGS)

Organized by Market Solutions Events Management and powered by Mashreq, The Arab Green Summit (TAGS) which was held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment took place on 21-22 June 2022 at Mövenpick Grand Al Bustan in Dubai, UAE. 

The event garnered a great turn-out of government officials, key decision makers, policy makers, sustainability professionals and climate change enthusiasts from various sectors across the GCC region.

The event saw participation from government entities and private organizations such as United Nations, Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure (MOEI), Ministry of Economy, Mashreq, Masdar, Mastercard, ENGIE, CRIF Gulf, Al Safwa Cement Company, SunMoney Solar Group, Kuwait Water Association, TRANSCO and many more.

Joel Van Dusen, Group Head of Corporate Banking & Investment, Mashreq said: “Mashreq is fully committed to adopt sustainable financial practices across its operations and we endeavor to become one of the key ambassadors for the global green drive in the region.  In line with this vision, we were pleased to have been part of the Arab Green Summit this year which discussed important issues surrounding the topics of decarbonization, energy transition, sustainability, clean energy, and innovation across all key sectors for the MENA region.”

This summit hosted dignitaries such as H.E Eng Yousif Ahmed Al Ali from Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Dr. Dena Assaf from United Nations, Joel Van Dusen from Mashreq Bank, Ms. Shaima AlAydarous from Ministry of Economy, Stephen Christian Severance JR from Masdar, Andrea Prazakova from Mastercard, Daxita Rajcoomar, Latifa Lahsine,  Yvon Mompeyssin from ENGIE, Fatima Ahmed Al Kadhim from Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, Mariam AlQubaisi from Etihad Aviation Group, Zoltan Rendes from SunMoney Solar Group, Salwa Al Maflahi from Aldar Properties, and many more. 

Andrea Prazakova, Senior Vice President, Mastercard Foundry & ESG, Mastercard, EEMEA said: “To enact meaningful change, the Public and Private Sectors need to come together to commit the technology, capabilities, expertise, and resources required for a greener future. At Mastercard, we know that people, planet, and prosperity are intricately linked as we actively pursue our ESG goals. Our solutions including our Carbon Calculator, Donation Platform and Sustainable cards are all built with a customer-first approach in pursuit of a sustainable world. We are delighted to join hands with the leaders and representatives at the Arab Green Summit as we work towards a better future for all.”

Frederic Claux, Managing Director Thermal & Supply AMEA at ENGIE, said: “We were delighted to be a part of the Arab Green Summit. Events like this are a vital platform for key industry players to gather in one place and discuss and present solutions to help nations achieve net-zero commitments. As a regional leader in the transition to a low carbon-neutral economy, this was a great opportunity to interact with regional stakeholders and advance our common purpose- to achieve a better future for all.” 

In addition to that, the summit hosted the Decarbonization and Climate Action Awards (DACA Awards) where Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure (MOEI) won two awards Decarbonization Champion in Power Sector and Sustainability Leader in Transportation. Mashreq bank won the Torch bearer of Sustainable & Climate Friendly Investment and Leader in Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) awards. The Sustainability & Innovation Pioneer in Water award went to Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) and ENGIE, with Mastercard winning the Advocate in Climate Action Innovation & Impact award. Along with that, there were winners from organizations such as Etihad Airways, SunMoney Solar Group, CRIF GULF and Higher Colleges of Technology

Al-Safwa Cement Company is grateful to participate in The Arab Green Summit where we had an excellent engagement with all the environmental enthusiasts hearing their passions, stories & experiences towards sustainability & climate change. We were pleased to present our cement initiatives impact on carbon circular economy & how to be an effective player towards Net-zero carbon. In addition, the event worked as an excellent platform for future collaborations between regulators, consultants & the private sector says Motaz Gattan, Chief Commercial & Innovation Officer at Al-Safwa Cement Company

Zoltan Rendes, Partner, and Chief Marketing Officer at SunMoney Solar said, “We were thrilled to be a part of TAGS 2022. We truly believe that sustainability is about more than just using clean energy sources; it's also about altering our habits and lifestyles to ensure we don’t continue to harm the environment.  The Arab Green Summit was a good platform to deliver our message and highlight our objectives in the region.