The Al-Attiyah Foundation will host global experts for its ‘3rd CEO Roundtable of 2019’ in Doha tomorrow.
The highly interactive and content driven CEO Roundtables allow ministers, industry leaders and deans from local universities to engage with international experts on the chosen theme: “Reducing CO2 Emissions from Heavy Industry.”
“As the world responds to climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is top of the agenda for most people, energy-intensive industries must decarbonise to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. I very much look forward to hosting our special guests to help us unravel the challenges and opportunities faced by this industry sector,” said HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, chairman, Al-Attiyah Foundation.
The industrial sector in general uses more delivered energy than any other end-use sector, which amounts to around 54% of the world’s total energy consumption.
The following industries are considered to be energy-intensive:  food, pulp and paper, basic chemicals, refining, iron and steel, non-ferrous metals and non-metallic minerals.
Consequently, the same industries emit 15 Gigatonnes CO2-equivalent of the yearly industrial emissions. 
In addition, the rising energy demand from the ever-growing population and urbanisation, adds extra pressure on the industry to meet supply whilst continuing to reduce emissions.
The Al-Attiyah Foundation’s invited experts are drawn particularly from the iron and steel, aluminium, and cement sectors – John Drexhage, Energy & Extractives Global Practice consultant at The World Bank;  Liv Rathe, director, Corporate Climate Office of Norsk Hydro; Matthew Bateson, Senior Environment and Corporate Affairs executive and Former Head of Environment, Climate Change & Legacy Management at Rio Tinto; and Dr Patrick Linke, Professor of Chemical Engineering Programme at Texas A&M University in Qatar. 
The required transitions will not take place in the absence of smart and committed public policies, building on currently available technologies, or without a paradigm shift towards higher levels of resource efficiency and a circular economy. 
The speakers and guests at the CEO Roundtable will review the major barriers and enablers, and how effective policy frameworks could be introduced to minimise the challenges and enhance the opportunities. All CEO level participants have the opportunity to share their opinions and understanding, in what is always a thought-provoking and lively discussion. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah founded the CEO Roundtable Series as a platform for knowledge exchange and support for the global community in the quest towards a sustainable energy future. Following the Roundtable, the views will be captured in a whitepaper and hosted on the Al-Attiyah Foundation’s website at www.abhafoundation.org.
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