EMSTEEL reappointed co-chair of IRENA-led Alliance for Industry Decarbonisation
In short
EMSTEEL Group, a UAE-listed steel and building materials manufacturer, has been reappointed as Co-Chair of the Alliance for Industry Decarbonisation (AFID) for a second term. The reappointment was announced during New York Climate Week 2026; the alliance is led by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and EMSTEEL will co-chair it alongside Germany's BASF.
Why it matters
The reappointment places a UAE-listed industrial company in a co-leadership role in an IRENA-led body that works on cutting emissions in hard-to-abate sectors, according to the documents. Both documents frame it as a continuation of the UAE's role in global industrial decarbonisation efforts and of EMSTEEL's stated focus on low-carbon industry. The documents do not state what specific commitments or targets the second term entails.
Key facts
- EMSTEEL Group has been reappointed as Co-Chair of the Alliance for Industry Decarbonisation (AFID) for a second term, according to the documents. [ 1 , 2 ]
- EMSTEEL was first appointed AFID Co-Chair in September 2024, succeeding Tata Steel. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The reappointment was announced during New York Climate Week 2026. [ 1 , 2 ]
- AFID is led by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). [ 1 , 2 ]
- EMSTEEL will co-chair the alliance alongside German chemicals company BASF, described in the documents as the world's largest chemical producer. [ 1 , 2 ]
- EMSTEEL Group is described as one of the region's largest publicly traded steel and building materials manufacturers. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- EMSTEEL Group was reappointed Co-Chair of the Alliance for Industry Decarbonisation for a second term. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The alliance is led by IRENA, and EMSTEEL co-chairs it with BASF. [ 1 , 2 ]
- EMSTEEL's first appointment as Co-Chair was in September 2024, succeeding Tata Steel. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The reappointment was announced during New York Climate Week 2026. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- The length or terms of the second co-chair term are not stated. Neither document gives a duration or the conditions attached to the reappointment.
- It is not stated whether BASF was also reappointed or is continuing in the co-chair role. The documents say only that EMSTEEL will co-chair alongside BASF.
- No emission-reduction targets, figures or timelines are given for the second term. The documents describe the alliance's aims in general terms only and do not cite specific commitments.
- Both documents carry the same text, with the second attributing it to WAM and truncating near the end. The wording is identical, so the two publications do not independently corroborate details beyond the shared release.