CARE MENA 2025 Summit Unites Climate Leaders Across Region
CARE MENA 2025 has brought together policymakers and innovators to drive climate action at what has become a key gathering for sustainability leaders. The summit attracted more than 1,000 attendees and over 60 speakers from more than 30 countries during its two-day run. Leaders, investors, and changemakers gathered at this first Climate Action, Renewable Energy & Sustainability forum, which is set to become the MENA region’s leading platform for sustainability investment and climate breakthroughs.
The Dubai CARE forum is a chance to connect capital with climate ambition, especially with GCC countries investing billions in reliable infrastructure. Leaders in climate and sustainability from the UAE, KSA, Lebanon, Kuwait, and beyond came together at this groundbreaking event. The platform gives venture capital firms, institutional investors, family offices, and sovereign funds direct access to promising climate tech ventures.
The event’s highlight was the CARE ESG Awards by Trescon and ESG Mena, which celebrated outstanding leaders and organizations. These pioneers are reshaping the scene through sustainability, clean energy, and climate resilience initiatives in the region. Winners received recognition across fifteen categories that showcase critical aspects of sustainability transformation. The combined events will bring together more than 4,000 government, industry, technology, and sustainability leaders to speed up the Middle East’s clean energy transition.
CARE MENA 2025 brings together regional climate leaders
The CARE MENA forum made its debut at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai on November 26-27, 2025. This major achievement united the region’s sustainability community on a single powerful platform. The CARE Alliance—a global coalition of industry leaders, policymakers, and experts—carefully designed the event to tackle the most pressing climate priorities in the Middle East and North Africa.
Trescon’s CEO Naveen Bharadwaj launched the forum by calling for decisive regional collaboration. He stressed the importance of coordinated action to create measurable climate results across MENA. “The decisions, partnerships, and innovations emerging from the forum will shape the region’s sustainability trajectory for years to come,” Bharadwaj stated.
Dubai Supreme Council of Energy’s Senior Director Dr. Faisal Rashid delivered a keynote speech. He outlined Dubai’s Net Zero ambitions and its position as a standard for climate action throughout the region. High-impact discussions dominated the two-day event, covering critical climate issues from clean energy investment and green hydrogen development to ESG frameworks and state-of-the-art sustainability.
Sustainability leaders from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, and beyond gathered at the forum. Participants explored regulatory reform, capital flows, and technology deployment while focusing on commercial viability and regional scalability. So, CARE MENA established itself as more than a discussion forum—it became a platform for ground decisions and concrete outcomes.
Flagship programs showcase innovation and impact
State-of-the-art solutions took center stage at CARE MENA 2025 with three programs that boosted climate solutions in the region. The ClimateTech World Cup saw five shortlisted startups competing for investment and mentorship opportunities. Circa Biotech ended up winning with their trailblazing waste management technology.
CARE Launchpad became a vital platform where regional experts showed their latest research, whitepapers, and technological announcements. The initiative connected innovators with sustainability professionals, government stakeholders, and potential investors. This connection helped advance climate resilience solutions throughout the MENA region.
The CARE Innovation Program highlighted exceptional student-led projects that caught everyone’s attention with fresh sustainability approaches. Students aged 16-30 from universities worldwide could participate alone or in teams of up to four members with one faculty advisor. The program tackled ground climate challenges and drew participants from various academic disciplines, with AI applications at its core.
These flagship initiatives created a complete ecosystem that supported climate innovation at every level—from industry experts to emerging startups and student visionaries. CARE MENA 2025 became a catalyst for practical, flexible sustainability solutions in the region by connecting innovators with decision-makers and resources.
CARE ESG Awards recognize sustainability leadership
Image Source: Emirati Times
The CARE MENA 2025 Summit featured the CARE ESG Awards that celebrated organizations and leaders who excel in sustainability across the Middle East and North Africa. This one-year-old platform, created by Trescon and ESG Mena, recognizes innovators who set new sustainability standards in the MENA region.
The Awards evaluated excellence through a merit-based framework across 15 categories. These categories included clean energy, finance, mobility, agritech, healthcare, governance, and technology. Winners earned recognition as standards of sustainability excellence both regionally and internationally.
Arabian Gulf Steel Industries won the Best ESG Industrial Program award. GEMS Education received the Best ESG Program in Education. NMDC Group earned recognition for their effective Renewable Energy Project, while Riyad Bank took home the Impact Finance Award.
“I am proud to see the CARE ESG Awards recognize the region’s leaders in sustainability, climate action, and responsible growth,” stated Naveen Bharadwaj, CEO of Trescon. Sal Jafar, CEO of ESG Mena, added: “The awards show the growing momentum of sustainability and ESG in the region”.
ESG Mena’s partnership proved crucial as the region’s leading independent ESG knowledge hub. Their involvement ensured the awards measured real environmental, social, and governance impact rather than just financial success.
The CARE MENA 2025 Summit marked a turning point for climate action in the Middle East and North Africa region. This first-of-its-kind forum helped turn sustainability goals into real actions. Attendees saw how policies, breakthroughs, and investments can speed up regional climate initiatives when they join forces.
The summit proved to be a springboard for meaningful partnerships. People from over 30 countries took part in deep discussions about renewable infrastructure, climate tech ventures, and sustainable development frameworks. These talks will shape MENA’s climate policies in the coming years.
On top of that, the flagship programs showed a thriving ecosystem of breakthroughs across the region. Circa Biotech’s win in the ClimateTech World Cup proved that sustainability solutions can be profitable. Student participants brought fresh perspectives to tackle complex environmental challenges.
The CARE ESG Awards strengthened everyone’s dedication to sustainability excellence. Companies like Arabian Gulf Steel Industries, GEMS Education, NMDC Group, and Riyad Bank showed how different industries can make environmental responsibility part of their daily operations.
This unprecedented gathering of climate leaders, innovators, and investors at CARE MENA 2025 became a crucial step toward the region’s clean energy future. The forum has become a vital platform where ideas turn into action. Here, connections grow into partnerships, and climate goals transform into real results throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
