Qatar has huge potential to set a precedent in worldwide CO2 reduction, and that government support is crucial in developing the necessary frameworks, said an industry expert at the ongoing World Climate Summit in Doha.

“CO2 reduction should be one of the key factors considered during the planning of any new infrastructure project, whether for power stations, transport or city planning,” stressed Joachim Kundt, the senior VP, Corporate Strategies and former CEO of the Lower Gulf region at Siemens.

“One of the key methods that will allow this is the increased use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs),” he said in the opening session of the summit.

The PPPs, said Kundt, have a very real potential to reduce the region’s CO2 footprint, by aligning the goals of both the public and private sectors for the development of infrastructure that has, at its heart, a commitment to bringing CO2 levels down.

In the Middle East, Siemens has a long-established history of developing and executing energy efficient PPPs, including the Shuweihat S1 and S2 Combined Cycle Power Plants (CCPP) in Abu Dhabi.

Kundt said there was an increasing enthusiasm in the region for further development of PPPs. "The key to a successful PPP is to ensure that once the goals of the two parties are aligned, a functional specification is developed along with a detailed plan of lifecycle costs," the expert stated.

“It then becomes the responsibility of private sector companies like Siemens to ensure that the efficient technologies needed to meet the project’s requirements, are reliable and available in the region,” observed Kundt.

“In addition, there is a very strong private sector business case for more efficient infrastructure. For example, a power plant that produces more electricity with less fuel is a cost effective proposition that reduces environmental impact, and Siemens has already introduced technology in the region that does just that.”

“Evidently, there is growing appetite for PPPs in the Middle East, with companies and governments considering more projects in this category,” said Kundt.

“While regional PPPs have traditionally focused on power plant projects, there is a clear interest to apply these partnerships to other areas including infrastructure and transport, large sporting events, healthcare and industry,” he added.

According to Kundt, a key potential for PPPs to demonstrate CO2-reducing potential is in the development of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup project.

“Qatar has made a commitment towards reducing CO2 emissions and implementing clean and energy efficient measures for the upcoming World Cup 2022,” the top Siemens official said.

“And this represents great potential for Siemens to provide well-established, innovative and efficient technologies, in partnership with the public sector, in order to help Qatar achieve its goals,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service