Holcim has joined the Alliance for Industry Decarbonization (AFID) under the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), reinforcing its commitment to supporting the transition towards low-carbon construction in the UAE and across the wider region.
The membership was formalised during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2026 and represents a strategic milestone for Holcim UAE, signalling a shift from site-level operational decarbonisation to broader sector-wide leadership. Through its participation in AFID, Holcim is aligning itself with a government-led platform that brings together policymakers, international organisations and industrial leaders to accelerate decarbonisation across hard-to-abate sectors.
AFID focuses on advancing the deployment of technologies, policies and investment frameworks that enable meaningful emissions reductions in energy- and carbon-intensive industries. By joining the alliance, Holcim aims to contribute its operational expertise in sustainable building materials and construction solutions to policy and industry discussions shaping the UAE’s industrial future.
Holcim said its participation reflects a deliberate emphasis on collaboration with governments and industry peers, ensuring that regulatory frameworks, technology pathways and investment signals are grounded in real-world industrial experience. The company has positioned itself as an active contributor to dialogues that seek to balance ambition with practical implementation.
“Industry decarbonisation requires practical action at scale, supported by the right policy direction. Joining AFID allows Holcim to engage at that intersection, bringing perspective shaped by practical experience to conversations that matter for the UAE’s low-carbon future,” said Ali Said, CEO of Holcim UAE and Oman.
AFID’s work spans several priority areas, including renewables, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), circularity, green hydrogen, human capital development and climate-aligned finance. These focus areas closely align with Holcim’s long-term strategy, in which sustainability underpins how the business operates, invests and collaborates across its value chain.
In the UAE, Holcim has been steadily advancing initiatives aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of construction materials, while supporting national climate objectives and industrial competitiveness. Through AFID, the company will be able to engage more closely with decision-makers and industry stakeholders to help shape enabling conditions for large-scale decarbonisation.
Holcim said that contributing to alliance-led initiatives allows it to go beyond individual projects and play a role in building the broader systems required for a low-carbon industrial economy. This includes supporting knowledge sharing, fostering partnerships and helping to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies across the construction and materials sectors.
By joining AFID, Holcim reinforces its position as a long-term partner committed to advancing sustainable construction in the United Arab Emirates, while contributing to regional and global efforts to decarbonise industry in line with climate targets.
Holcim joins IRENA alliance to advance industry decarbonisation
