Cop28 launches hub to help Mena SMEs cut carbon

• Involves two global non-profits
• Online tools to help cut emissions
• Free assessments for 71 UAE companies

The Cop28 presidency has set up a dedicated programme to help small and medium-sized enterprises in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) to cut their carbon emissions.

The team behind the climate conference, which is being held this year in Dubai, has joined forces with the global not-for-profit SME Climate Hub and the We Mean Business Coalition. 

Cop28 & SME Climate Hub for Mena offers a range of free online support services including a business carbon calculator, climate education course and financial support guide. It includes other practical tools to help small and medium size companies become more sustainable. 

The initiative aims to help local businesses implement emissions reduction strategies, report yearly on their progress and achieve net zero by 2050 or before.

The resources will also be available in Arabic for the first time, Cop28 said. 

All Mena businesses with under 500 employees will be able to access the tools.

The project is being supported by Abu Dhabi-based renewables company Masdar, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Chamber.

Supporting SMEs is one of the main pillars of the Cop28 event’s action plan. 

“SMEs comprise up to 90 percent of all businesses in Mena,” Adnan Amin, chief executive of Cop28, said. “They form a major part of the region’s economy and have an integral role to play in accelerating the region’s transition to net zero.” 

Last month a similar but smaller-scale initiative was launched by a private sector organisation in the UAE.

ImpactGulf, a carbon accounting and sustainability consultancy, is offering 71 UAE-registered businesses a free assessment of their greenhouse gas emissions over the past five years. 

Any UAE-registered company can apply, regardless of their size, although there will be a focus on SMEs, ImpactGulf said.