Climate Tech Strategy Roundtable – Green Procurement, AI & Finance Pillars

Feb 21, 2025

Summary

This roundtable convened key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to discuss the intersection of green procurement, AI/data, and finance in driving sustainable construction in the UAE and wider MENA region. Discussions covered practical implementation challenges, emerging technologies, and the urgent need for regulatory alignment and carbon transparency. The session built on previous workshops and prepared the ground for upcoming working sessions post-Ramadan and during the DIFC Fintech Summit in May.

Key Takeaways

• Green Procurement Gaps: Fragmentation across standards (e.g., LEED, DIFC, UAE circular economy) creates confusion; a unified green procurement framework is essential.
• AI & Data: The need for a regional green building materials database is hindered by inconsistent standards, lack of EPDs, and missing embodied carbon metrics in building codes.
• Finance Pillar: Climate tech investments are growing in the UAE, but institutional lag and global market volatility (e.g., US climate tech slowdowns) remain concerns.

Next Steps

• Schedule two workshops: a solution-focused session post-Ramadan and a deep-dive during DIFC Fintech Summit in May.
• Develop a slide-by-slide process map to visualise the green procurement and design decision flow (led by Amr and Jaap).
• Continue refinement of Terms of Reference and engage new stakeholders to support coalition governance and project delivery.