About
Experts and officials from the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) discussed economic diveraification in the context of climate change during the two-day EU GCC workshop that was held on 11-12 November 2019 in Brussels, Belgium. The workshop was organised by the European Commission (EC) in partnership with the Gulf Cooperation Council Secretariat General (GCC SG) and was facilitated by the EU GCC Clean Energy Technology Network. The GCC delegation consisted of representatives from the GCC countries and from the GCC Secretariat General while at the EU level, participants included officers from DG CLIMA, Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, European External Action Service, DG RTD and DG ENER as well as the EU GCC Clean Energy Technology Network. The workshop was enhanced with valued contribution from representatives of IRENA, the Global CCS Institute and the Global Covenant of Mayors. During the event, high level opening addresses were made by Ms Nona Deprez, Head of Unit Partnership Instruments - Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, Ms Yvon Slingenberg, Director, DG CLIMA, European Commission, Dr Hilal Almukhaini, Director, Energy Department, GCC Secretariat General and Dr Mustapha Taoumi, Key Expert, EU GCC Clean Energy Technology Network.
The workshop discussion agenda covered the topics of domestic policies and INDC implementation; long- term Strategies and national Monitoring-Reporting-Verification (MRV); Engineering and Technology Advancement including Carbon Capture Storage and Utilisation; Research, innovation as well as the Role of Local Authorities –focusing on the Global Covenant of Mayors. Moreover, the delegates visited the CCS plant of LEILAC (Low Emissions Intensity Lime and Cement), Horizon 2020 project at HeidelbergCement in Lixhe.
The press release of the EU-GCC workshop economic diversification in the context of climate change is available here.