The German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce (AHK) and the German Embassy in the UAE jointly hosted the Climate Talks × AHK Sustainability Forum in Dubai. The event brought together representatives from government, industry, and the wider sustainability ecosystem to discuss emerging climate policies, energy-efficiency priorities, and the evolving role of the private sector in supporting national and global climate goals.
Held against the backdrop of the UAE’s strengthened climate agenda, including the newly introduced Climate Law and the launch of the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance (GEEA) led by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the forum offered a timely platform for strategic dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange.
The event opened with a welcome from H.E. Sybille Pfaff, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, highlighting the strong partnership between Germany and the UAE in driving sustainable economic development and climate innovation.
A central focus was the GEEA initiative, underscoring the UAE’s global leadership in accelerating energy-efficiency measures. Dipak Sakaria, Energy Transition Expert and Advisor at the MoEI, provided an in-depth overview of the initiative, emphasizing the urgent need for coordinated global action on energy efficiency, one of the fastest and most effective levers for emissions reduction and climate resilience. Despite progress, energy-efficiency adoption remains fragmented worldwide, reinforcing the need for a unified global alliance.
Key objectives of the GEEA include:
• Global Knowledge Exchange
• Capacity Building
• Public–Private Partnerships
• Standards & Certification
The session Reflections from COP30, presented by Andreas Feil, provided forward-looking insights into developments shaping climate action in the coming years.
The forum concluded with an interactive working-group session exploring opportunities for international technology cooperation, cross-border knowledge transfer, and enhanced private-sector engagement. Participants also identified areas where greater clarity and support are still needed from a business perspective.
Across the event, experts reinforced a consistent message: progress on climate action depends on strong cross-sector collaboration, bringing together policymakers, corporations, industry associations, and technology innovators to ensure that climate commitments translate into measurable, scalable impact.