Winners Announced at Inaugural GPCA Carbon Neutrality Cup

Winners were celebrated in a star-studded recognition ceremony as part of the 5^th GPCA Responsible Care Conference on 6 September 2023

Manama, Bahrain, 12 September 2023 – The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf, announced today the winners of the inaugural GPCA Carbon Neutrality Cup, whose ground-breaking ideas were recognized in a special award ceremony during the gala dinner of the 5^th GPCA Responsible Care Conference held in the Ritz-Carlton, Manama, Bahrain on 6 September 2023.

The chemical industry accounts for 30% of total industrial energy use and is the third largest industry in terms of direct CO₂ emissions[1]. Yet only about 17% of chemical companies globally have a science-based net-zero target[2]. To help bridge the gap between the chemical industry and academia and encourage the development of more science-based net-zero solutions, GPCA launched a brand-new competition titled the GPCA Carbon Neutrality Cup. The competition attracted 28 bright and innovative ideas from senior undergraduate and postgraduate students in the field of STEM – all aimed at supporting the transition to net-zero across the downstream value chain.

While all entries were commendable and deserve utmost recognition, the winners in this year’s inaugural edition could only be four:

• Winner in 1^st place in the Post Graduate Student Category – Carbon Footprint Reduction is Fabiyan Angikath​ from King Abdullah University of Science & Tech, Saudi Arabia.

• Winner in 2^nd place in the Post Graduate Student Category – Carbon Footprint Reduction is Monther Alkoshab​ from King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia.

• Winner in 1^st place in the Undergraduate Student Category – Energy Efficiency is Jahad Zahir Mohammed Al Jabri​ from National University of Science & Technology, Oman.

• Winners in 2^nd place in the Undergraduate Student Category – Energy Efficiency are Mohammed A. Abu Saq and Abdullah A. Alsulami​ from King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.

The winning entries impressed the jury with their bold, innovative, and ground-breaking ideas, which dared to challenge the status quo and propose a meaningful contribution to the net-zero transition. All winners in first and second place received a monetary prize in recognition of their achievement.

Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented: “GPCA is a firm believer in providing an opportunity for the regional youth to play their part in developing innovative solutions to help drive the transition to a net-zero future. This was the main objective of this year’s inaugural competition which aimed to attract the single most brilliant ideas by our bright and talented youth on how the industry can take a more focused net-zero approach.”

He added: “The competition not only provided the right platform, but it also brought together STEM students, members of the academia and industry leaders under the same roof to share knowledge, ideate and inspire one another towards making a real impact in the world. I wholeheartedly congratulate every single student, who had the courage, motivation and ambition to participate in the competition and wish them a successful future.”

The 5^th GPCA Responsible Care Conference took place last week in the Ritz-Carlton, Manama, Bahrain from 5-7 September 2023 under the theme ‘Shaping a Sustainable Future with Innovative Solutions’.

To learn more about the GPCA Carbon Neutrality Cup, visit: https://gpcaresponsiblecare.com/carbon-neutrality-cup/.

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About the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) was established in 2006 to represent the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. Today, the association voices the common interests of more than 250 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for over 95 percent of chemical output in the GCC. The industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the region, producing over USD 108 billion worth of products every year.

GPCA supports the petrochemical and chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf through advocacy, networking and thought leadership initiatives aimed at helping member companies to connect, share and advance knowledge, contribute to international dialogue, and become prime influencers in shaping the future of the global petrochemicals industry.

Committed to providing a regional platform for stakeholders from around the world, GPCA manages six working committees – Plastics, Supply Chain, Fertilizers, International Trade, Research and Innovation, and Responsible Care – and organizes six world-class events each year. The association also publishes an annual report, regular newsletters and various other industry reports.

For more information, visit www.gpca.org.ae.

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[1] Chemicals, International Energy Agency (IEA) Accessed at: https://www.iea.org/fuels-and-technologies/chemicals

[2] Planet Positive Chemicals, Pathways for the chemical industry to enable a sustainable global economy, Center for Global Commons, September 2022. Accessed at: https://cgc.ifi.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/research-en/gcsi-en/