To boost contribution of the private sector and guide private companies to be aligned with the government’s environmental strategies, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, MoCCAE, has launched the "Environment and Business Majlis".

The majlis will also help create new investment opportunities between the ministry and the private sector.

The announcement was made during MoCCAE’s 2nd business meeting with businessmen and representatives from leading national companies in the UAE today, by Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, who stressed on the importance of bolstering partnership between public and private sectors in order to achieve the strategic objectives of the UAE’s National Climate Change Plan 2017-2050 and the Green Agenda 2015-2030.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi commended the role of national companies in supporting the economic growth of the UAE, across all sectors. He pointed out that the environment and business majlis aims to encourage the private sector to invest in environmental projects and hence contribute towards the UAE’s national climate change initiative. It will also help the nation in fulfilling its environmental and developmental needs in the food security and sustainable infrastructure sectors.

He stressed the importance of collaboration to improve and further develop the procedures that pertain to the services offered by the ministry, to expand the ministry's vision to be aligned with the perspectives of businessmen.

Dr. Al Zeyoudi indicated that the majlis would also propose innovative and technological initiatives in the environment and climate change sector that are in line with the global directive, urging private companies to adopt corporate social responsibility programmes that aim to reduce carbon emissions, in addition to improving and developing the ministry’s services to the private sector.

During the meeting, attendees highlighted the important role of the private sector in supporting environmental projects, reducing carbon emissions and reinforcing the transformation towards a green economy. They also reviewed the best-applied global practices in establishing partnerships between the public and private sector, and the benefit to the governments from such co-operation.