New UAE Carbon Rules Put Data at the Center

New MRV rules in the UAE could redefine how carbon capture projects are judged, financed, and built across the Middle East

23 Oct 2025

The UAE has launched a national Measurement, Reporting, and Verification system, backed by an Integrated Emissions Quantification Tool. On the surface, it is a regulatory upgrade. In practice, it could reshape how carbon capture, utilisation, and storage projects are evaluated and funded across the region.

Until now, much of the attention in CCUS has centered on capacity. How much carbon can be captured? How quickly can projects scale? The new framework changes the conversation. It signals that capturing carbon is only part of the equation. Proving it, with consistent and credible data, is just as important.

For investors and industrial partners, that distinction matters. As reporting standards mature, verified performance is likely to carry more weight in financing decisions. Transparent data can make projects easier to compare, benchmark, and trust.

The rollout comes as Gulf governments push to expand CCUS in support of climate goals and industrial competitiveness. Energy producers, manufacturers, and heavy industry players are exploring scale-up strategies. Stronger reporting rules could help separate projects that are ready for deployment from those still refining their models.

Key details are still emerging. Regulators continue to clarify which sectors will be covered and how enforcement will work in practice. Yet the direction is clear. Emissions transparency is becoming a structural feature of climate policy, not a voluntary add-on.

For companies across the CCUS supply chain, the implications are significant. Project developers may increasingly favor partners who can integrate monitoring and verification systems from the outset. Engineering firms and energy service providers with carbon management expertise stand to benefit. So do technology companies offering smarter data handling and reporting tools.

The opportunity lies in early alignment. Projects designed with robust verification in mind may be better positioned as compliance expectations tighten. The risk lies in uncertainty, as implementing rules continue to evolve.

As the Middle East moves from carbon capture ambition to broader deployment, the UAE’s focus on emissions transparency could quietly redefine what counts as investment-ready.