Bahrain official asks industries to take ‘green route’

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Staff Reporter

All industries must work towards achieving the vision of a circular carbon economy, a senior official emphasised yesterday. Dr Khaled Fahad Alalawi, Assistant Undersecretary of Industrial Development within the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, made this remark while speaking at the ‘Industrial Sector’s Role in Achieving Net-Zero Carbon’ Forum.

Dr Khaled said the Kingdom’s industrial sector has a bigger role to play in fulfilling the goals of the economic recovery plan. “One of the primary pillars of the industrial plan 2022-2026 is to support the sector’s transformation to Industry 4.0, as well as the implementation of the concept of circular economy along with environmental and social governance.

“This strategy focuses on a variety of industries that offer opportunities for growth and prosperity, particularly manufacturing in the aluminum and petrochemical sectors, as well as clean industries such as renewable energy, green and blue hydrogen, which will help the Kingdom achieve its objective of Net-Zero Carbon by 2060.”

“The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, in collaboration with other stakeholders, is encouraging industrial companies to adopt environmentally friendly technology as one of the best methodologies in the industrial sector and a tool to reduce costs and increase competitiveness, as well as to ensure the efficiency of resource use, particularly water and energy.

The industrial sector has a role to play in the gradual transition to a green economy focused on sustainable growth.” For his part, the Chairman of the Bahrain Alwane Society, Ammar Awachi extended his thanks to the auspices of Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed Al Zayani for the forum, pointing out that the event confirms the minister’s interest in supporting the orientation of industrial sector companies towards strengthening their commitment to various environmental issues.

He also thanked Dr Khaled for his valuable participation and for providing significant ideas and information on environmental, climate, and carbon neutrality issues. Khaled Mousa, Head of the Environment Committee at the Bahrain Alwane Society, stated that the committee decided to launch its program of activities through this forum because of the importance of the industrial sector in the field of environment and to review several experiences of leading Bahraini companies in this field.

“This is in line with the national collective efforts to support the Kingdom of Bahrain’s endeavor to reinforce its commitment to the Paris Agreement and the achievement of sustainable development goals in general,” Mr Mousa added. The forum was organised by the Environment Committee of the Alwane Bahrain Society, with the participation of several representatives of major Bahraini industrial firms, particularly in the field of aluminum, and environmental consultancy in the Kingdom.

Bahrain joined 174 countries in signing the historic Paris Agreement in 2016, the first global deal on climate change, at the UN headquarters in New York. The Paris Agreement includes a commitment to keep global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius. It is vital that countries remain focused on this goal and immediately increase their national efforts to achieve it, along with working to get the deal to enter into force, said experts.