• Decarbonization Drive: Abu Dhabi’s MRV programme supports its transition to a low-carbon economy and aims to reduce emissions by 22% by 2027.
• Global Standards: The programme aligns with UNFCCC and Paris Agreement frameworks, ensuring accurate emissions tracking and international competitiveness.
• Industry Collaboration: Public and private sector partnerships are central to implementing the MRV system, with annual third-party verifications starting in 2026.

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has launched an international standard carbon Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) programme to address carbon emissions and accelerate the emirate’s transition to a low-carbon economy. This move supports Abu Dhabi’s broader decarbonisation goals, including reducing carbon emissions by 22% by 2027 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

“Transparent data is essential for assessing climate policies, such as carbon pricing mechanisms, and supports Abu Dhabi’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions,” said Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of EAD. “We are integrating new mandatory MRV efforts into our broader carbon accounting framework as part of the national pathways towards Net Zero by 2050.”

Programme Objectives:

The MRV system aims to standardise greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting across Abu Dhabi’s industrial and energy sectors. By generating reliable data aligned with global standards such as the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, the programme fosters innovation, transparency, and international competitiveness.

Key features include:

• Requiring large carbon-emitting facilities to monitor, report, and verify emissions annually, with first reports due in 2026.
• Close collaboration with public and private stakeholders to ensure alignment on thresholds and sector-specific requirements.
• Providing a foundation for implementing carbon pricing mechanisms to support emission-intensive industries in decarbonising.

“MRV systems are crucial for providing accurate data to track carbon emissions, ensure transparency, build trust, and drive effective climate action,” said Ahmed Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Under-Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy.

Industry Support:

The MRV programme is designed to support industries like Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) in meeting regulatory requirements while maintaining sustainability goals.

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“This tool is an important step in achieving our bold aspiration of embedding sustainability in everything we do and reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” said Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of EGA.

Operational Leadership:

EAD will administer the MRV programme, driving the development of clean technologies to achieve the UAE’s 2050 climate targets. The agency has worked closely with federal, local, and private sector partners to develop the system in alignment with COP28 goals and the UAE Consensus.

Abu Dhabi’s commitment to climate action places it at the forefront of global decarbonisation efforts, leveraging transparency and collaboration to ensure sustainable economic growth.

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