COP28 will be held November 30-December 12 at the Dubai Expo Center in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). COP28 is already shaping up to be one of the most impactful U.N. climate meetings, with newly appointed COP28 President-Designate H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber recently calling for the upcoming COP to “move from goals to getting it done.” We believe this will be a pragmatic, practical COP focused on achieving progress, with private-sector partnerships welcomed.
The Chamber team has been working with the US and UAE governments to help ensure private sector solutions are front and center at COP28. Stay tuned for updates on our work.
U.S. Chamber Co-Hosts Sustainability & Circular Economy Summit
As sustainability efforts are proceeding both domestically and globally, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC) joined Schneider Electric, EY, NiSource, the Business Council on Sustainable Energy (BCSE), and the Digital Climate Alliance in hosting our inaugural Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit—to underscore the crucial role that businesses play in sustainability and to share best-in-class strategies and effective policies.
Corporate sustainability leaders, government officials, nonprofits, academics, and innovators convened at the Chamber over the span of two days aiming to establish a 2024 sustainability policy agenda that will unlock public-private collaboration, provide the key policy tools, and mobilize private capital to empower companies to maximize the impact of their sustainability actions, investments, and initiatives.
At the Summit, the Chamber announced a campaign-style effort to enact the foundational policies needed to accelerate circularity and meet our ambitious climate and infrastructure goals.
Watch the Discussions
Discussions were intended to help shape the sustainability policy priorities of the future, including the following:
- The Case for Permitting Reform
- Stakeholder Engagement
- The Hydrogen Economy
- Addressing Environmental Challenges
- The Path to Decarbonization
Day 2 focused on developing strategies for the private sector to help the federal government achieve sustainability and resilience goals—including federal implementation of the IIJA and IRA and achieving net zero buildings.
Some of the government panelists included Andrew Mayock, Federal Chief Sustainability Officer at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Brendan Owens, Chief Sustainability Officer at the U.S. Department of Defense, and Mandy Mahoney, Technologies Office Director, U.S. Department of Energy.
Chamber Attends ADIPEC 2023
Marty Durbin, Senior VP of Policy at the Chamber, joined the U.S. Ambassador to the UAE, Martina Strong, and AmCham Abu Dhabi CEO Liz Beneski, in opening the USA Pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC).
ADIPEC 2023 saw the energy industry unite through people, policy, technology, and capital, to ensure a just and efficient energy transition. More than 2,200 companies from across the world—representing the entire energy ecosystem and beyond—convened at ADIPEC to showcase the latest strategies and innovations that are defining the future of energy.
As we prepare for COP28, companies are embracing the conference theme: Decarbonize. Faster. Together.
U.S. Chamber Spurs GreenTech Development to Brazil
In September, the Chamber and the Brazil-U.S. Business Council led a GreenTech business mission to Brazil in advance of COP28.
The mission highlighted the leadership of the U.S. business community in developing and deploying green technology and identified opportunities to help Brazil achieve its ambitious climate mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable growth goals. High-level government and business leaders focused on deforestation, the bio-economy, global food security, decarbonization, and emerging energy technologies.
Brazil will soon assume the presidency of the G20, with the next G20 Summit set to take place there in 2024, and will host COP30 in 2025 – the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement. This mission helped set the stage for continued U.S.-Brazil cooperation on sustainable economic growth and the deployment of climate solutions.
With a global focus on climate and sustainability, the Chamber is illustrating the critical role business plays in developing and deploying innovative solutions for a clean future.
Chamber Joins DIFC at Future Sustainability Forum in Dubai
The U.S. Chamber supported the Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) Future Sustainability Forum as an Association Partner. The Future Sustainability Forum united government leaders, business executives, and innovators to share their visions, plans, and ideas on increasing the availability of climate finance necessary to accelerate climate action.
Her Excellency Mariam Almheiri, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, participated in a keynote fireside chat on the UAE’s role in creating a sustainable future. The Minister spoke about the UAE’s efforts to host an inclusive COP that includes business and noted that the private sector has a critical role to play, as governments cannot tackle the climate challenge on their own. She also added that it is important for all stakeholders involved to 'walk the talk' invoking H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber’s call for a COP of action.
Following the keynote, Steve Lutes, the Chamber’s VP for Middle East, moderated a panel called “Setting Credible Net-Zero Targets” comprised of business leaders. Lutes outlined several of the Chamber’s efforts to ‘walk the talk’ and facilitated a conversation on experiences and best practices in business for net-zero strategies. During this visit, we also hosted the U.S. Ambassador to the UAE, Martina Strong, for a meeting with business leaders in Abu Dhabi.
U.S. Chamber Hosts High-Level Dinner During NY Climate Week
On the sidelines of New York Climate Week and the UN General Assembly meetings, the U.S. Chamber hosted a high-level dinner with H.E. Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, Director General and Special Representative of COP28 and David Livingston, Senior Advisor to the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
This discussion gathered members from across sectors of the economy to discuss priorities, plans, and challenges ahead of COP28. Both Al Suwaidi and Livingston underscored the need for private sector engagement and cooperation both at COP28 and beyond to advance global climate action.
During Climate Week, the Chamber team held discussions on hard-to-decarbonize sectors, the circular economy, resilience, and voluntary carbon markets. The Chamber's VP of Environmental Affairs and Sustainability, Chuck Chaitovitz, moderated a panel of Danish companies—including FLSmidth, Maersk, McKinney, and Moller, and Ramboll—which highlighted the challenges presented by measuring and disclosing scope 3 emissions for the Confederation of Danish Industry. The Chamber also led a small roundtable on voluntary carbon markets with VCMI and ICVCM to catalyze an informal working group on restoring confidence in voluntary markets, and discussed the potential to convene members while at COP28. Finally, we participated in the State Department's launch of the End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative (EPPIC) as a founding partner. EPPIC is intended to help accelerate U.S. leadership and innovation during the negotiations of the global plastic pollution agreement.
VIDEO: U.S. Chamber GreenTech Mission to the UAE Builds Momentum for COP28
GreenTech Business Delegation to the UAE
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently concluded its GreenTech Business Mission to the United Arab Emirates ahead of COP28 in Dubai this November. The purpose of the GreenTech mission was to connect leading U.S. businesses with potential investment opportunities in the UAE and to learn about plans and priorities for COP28. Over 127 delegates from 68 businesses participated in the mission, ranging from startups to multinational corporations.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
In January, at the request of UAE officials, the US Chamber convened a high-level roundtable discussion among US and UAE officials and the private sector focused on the Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE), an initiative announced in November 2022 that aims to catalyze $100 billion in financing, investment, and other support to deploy 100 new gigawatts (GW) of clean energy by 2035. The discussion was headlined by the co-chairs of the PACE Experts Group, H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber and Amos Hochstein, U.S. Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security. Following their remarks, the deputy co-chairs -- H.E. Majid Al Suwaidi, Special Advisor to the COP28 President-Designate; and, David Livingston, Senior Advisor and Managing Director for Clean Energy in the Office of the U.S. Special President Envoy for Climate – continued the conversation with executives from approximately 20 major U.S. companies.
The PACE initiative represents a shared commitment by two major energy producing countries to a swift, responsible and ambitious energy transition. This was the first meeting of the Expert Group formed by the two countries.
The following day, Chamber SVP of Policy Marty Durbin signed a MOU with Her Highness Sheikha Shamma and her Climate Change Accelerators program. Knowing the business community is critical to developing and deploying the innovative technologies and systems that will help achieve our shared climate ambitions, we will work with Her Highness and the UICCA to identify innovators and companies in the US when they visit several US cities late next month. This partnership can create meaningful opportunities for U.S. companies to develop new relationships in the UAE and together help drive climate solutions. Stay tuned for more information.
Road to COP28 Event
The U.S. Chamber organized a Road to COP28 event hosted by Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), at her home. The Chamber team was joined by His Excellency Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, Special Advisor to the COP28 President-Designate, for a discussion with U.S. Chamber member companies. The UAE officials made clear they value the investments businesses are making to develop and implement climate solutions. While in Abu Dhabi, the Chamber delegation also visited with Mohammed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar -- a leading developer of renewable energy and sustainable urban projects globally -- to discuss opportunities for collaboration with U.S. businesses.
