4th Edition

A high-level scene-setter on innovation, energy systems, and capital transformation, this keynote will frame the regional and global context following COP30, emphasizing how MENA economies can lead through innovation, energy integration, and strategic capital flows to build a new climate-driven economic paradigm.

From policy to prosperity: leveraging sustainability for long-term economic strength

This high-level conversation with senior government leaders will explore sustainability at the heart of national economic transformation and transition strategies and how developments are shaping national economic priorities across MENA. With energy transition, innovation, and green industrialisation rising on the policy agenda, the discussion will highlight how countries can harness climate action to drive competitiveness, attract investment, and accelerate diversification and job creation in emerging industries to future-proof their economies.

How sustainability-smart strategies are reframing growth, innovation and competitiveness

This strategic session brings together C-suite leaders from MENA enterprises to explore the evolving narrative around climate investment and corporate strategy — shifting from cost and compliance to opportunity and economic advantage. With global capital markets increasingly favouring more sustainable and climate-aligned assets, how can MENA companies position themselves to benefit?

This session unpacks how climate action is being redefined as a core driver of competitiveness and economic transformation, with increasing emphasis on new growth industries that will create high-quality jobs for the region’s young and fast-growing population. Speakers will explore how investments in clean energy, green infrastructure, and sustainable technologies are reshaping value chains, catalysing innovation, and opening new avenues for prosperity — turning sustainability into a defining feature of long-term economic success.

How Gulf and MENA countries are navigating global dynamics to shape a cohesive path forward

Building on the momentum of COP28, the Middle East is no longer just participating in global climate diplomacy — it is emerging as a key leader shaping the agenda. With the ability to convene diverse voices and push for ambitious outcomes, the region is positioning itself at the centre of efforts to move from fragmented negotiations toward coordinated regional and global action. This panel will explore how Gulf and MENA countries are strengthening alignment across states and institutions, translating ambition into delivery, and demonstrating climate leadership at a critical juncture.
The discussion will also examine how this leadership is reshaping development finance and investment. Gulf countries are increasingly coordinating their external engagement — from deepening partnerships with Africa through resource investment and clean energy collaboration, to navigating their relationships with Europe around issues such as cross-border carbon measures and trade. Together, these dynamics highlight a historic opportunity for the region to take the lead, shaping not only its internal cohesion but also the trajectory of global markets and climate outcomes.

Mobilising catalytic solutions for transition, adaptation, and sustainable growth

This panel explores how climate finance is evolving beyond traditional models to harness catalytic capital and blended finance for real-world delivery. While the scale of needs is clear, the pressing challenge is how to innovate and deliver at speed — with trillions required annually to meet global climate goals. Speakers will highlight emerging financial solutions — from sustainability-linked loans and sovereign green bonds to debt-for-climate swaps, orange bonds, and other new instruments — and how these can be deployed in the GCC and MENA. The discussion will also consider rising insurance risks linked to climate impacts, alongside examples of how development finance institutions are pioneering approaches tailored for emerging markets.

The session will examine how both transition finance and adaptation finance can be mobilised to accelerate decarbonisation, strengthen resilience, and underpin economic growth and job creation, especially in youthful Middle Eastern economies. By focusing on financial innovation and the practical steps needed to build pipelines of investable projects, the panel will explore how to de-risk climate investments and unlock global pools of capital.

Unlocking natural capital for credibility, investment, and impact

Nature-based solutions are gaining traction as essential tools in climate mitigation and adaptation, but their credibility and effectiveness depend on transparency and integrity. This session will explore how MENA can lead in high-integrity carbon and biodiversity markets — valuing nature not just as an environmental asset but as a critical driver of finance for climate resilience and sustainable development. By embedding natural capital into market mechanisms, countries can open new channels for much-needed investment while safeguarding ecosystems and communities.

The discussion will also highlight how advances in AI and digital tools — from satellite imaging to real-time data analytics — are revolutionising verification, monitoring, and reporting. These technologies are making carbon and biodiversity markets more reliable, scalable, and cost-efficient, strengthening investor confidence and ensuring projects deliver genuine climate, social, and ecological benefits.

Game-changing technologies with the greatest potential for climate impact and the role of venture and growth capital

From AI-driven energy optimisation to carbon removal, precision agriculture, and next-generation materials, breakthrough technologies are redefining the pace and scale of climate action. This session explores where the most transformative innovations are emerging — and how venture and growth-stage capital can accelerate their path to real-world deployment. Panelists will highlight top tech trends, the sectors where AI and climate tech offer the greatest promise, and the investment strategies needed to move these solutions from pilot to global impact. The session will also consider how policy, private capital, and ecosystem support can combine to help bold ideas become bankable, investable, and scalable.

Ensuring the digital transformation accelerates sustainable, people-centred progress

Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful force reshaping global energy systems — driving efficiency, innovation, and decarbonisation, while introducing new complexities in governance, equity, and environmental impact. This session, hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will explore how MENA countries can leverage AI to accelerate energy transformation in ways that are sustainable, inclusive, and just.

The discussion will examine how AI is revolutionising the energy value chain — from forecasting demand and optimising grid performance to integrating renewables and enabling smarter, more resilient infrastructure. Speakers will also address the rising energy footprint of digital technologies and data centres, and how these can be balanced through innovation, regulation, and renewable integration.

Shaping policy for stability, transformation, and trust

Strong regulatory frameworks are critical to building resilient, investable climate economies. This panel will explore how MENA governments, financial regulators, central banks, and stock exchanges are adapting rules and oversight to accelerate the climate transition — from evolving taxonomies and sustainability disclosure mandates to carbon pricing models and inter-governmental policy alignment. The discussion will highlight how capital markets, regulators, and central banks together influence corporate behaviour, financial stability, and investment flows.

Through supervisory requirements, prudential policies, disclosure rules, and listing standards, these institutions are shaping how companies manage climate risks, strengthen governance, and align with global best practice. By embedding climate risk into financial stability frameworks, setting clear rules, and enhancing market transparency, they can reduce systemic vulnerabilities, build investor confidence, mobilise international capital, and unlock innovation — ensuring that markets drive both competitiveness and long-term impact.

Empowering people and institutions with the skills to implement sustainability and climate strategies

Successful implementation requires more than ambition — it demands talent, training, and institutional readiness. This session explores how businesses, governments, and educational institutions across the region are investing in the capabilities needed to execute sustainability and climate strategies. From upskilling existing workforces to embedding sustainability into leadership development, panellists will highlight the importance of building sustainability literate organisations and fostering a delivery culture that prioritises implementation and impact.