Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024
UAE climate law compliance: measuring and reporting your GHG emissions
The UAE climate law makes greenhouse gas measurement and reporting a legal duty for public and private entities, including those in free zones. Our Dubai team helps you build the emissions inventory, prepare your report for the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and get it ready for independent verification.
At a glance
- The law: Federal Decree-Law No. (11) of 2024 on the Reduction of Climate Change Effects, issued on 28 August 2024 and in force since 30 May 2025.
- Who it covers: public and private entities whose activities emit greenhouse gases, including entities operating in the UAE's free zones.
- What it asks: measure your emissions, report them to MOCCAE, keep the records behind the figures and take steps to reduce emissions. MOCCAE sets the detailed rules through implementing resolutions.
- Where you report: the National Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system, whose Integrated Emissions Quantification Tool (IEQT) runs at mrv.ae.
- Our role: we prepare and file. Where verification is required, it is carried out by an independent, accredited verification body, not by us.
What the law requires
UAE GHG emissions reporting under Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024
Federal Decree-Law No. (11) of 2024 on the Reduction of Climate Change Effects was issued on 28 August 2024 and entered into force on 30 May 2025. It turns the UAE's climate commitments, including the national goal of net zero by 2050, into obligations for the organisations that produce emissions.
The law applies to public and private entities whose operations release greenhouse gases, and it includes entities in free zones. A free-zone licence does not take a company outside its scope.
Its core obligations are straightforward: measure your greenhouse gas emissions, report them to MOCCAE, keep the records that support the reported figures, and put measures in place to reduce emissions. The law sets the framework; MOCCAE issues the implementing resolutions that define which entities report what, in which format, how often and with what verification. Check the current resolutions and guidance before you plan a reporting cycle.
Large emitters have a further layer. Cabinet Resolution No. (67) of 2024 on the National Register for Carbon Credits requires entities emitting 500,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent or more a year across Scope 1 and Scope 2 to monitor and report their emissions to MOCCAE, using MRV systems aligned with IPCC methodologies and verification standards such as ISO 14065:2021.
Reporting runs through the National MRV system, which MOCCAE launched at GITEX GLOBAL in October 2025. Its Integrated Emissions Quantification Tool (IEQT), at mrv.ae, is the web-based system the UAE uses to estimate and report emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. It is used by MOCCAE, federal entities, local authorities and data providers; organisations register on it and submit their data through their own portal.
What your company needs to do
From emissions inventory to MOCCAE MRV reporting
The calculation is rarely the hard part. The work lies in getting reliable data out of sites, landlords, utilities and finance, and in keeping an evidence trail that will stand up to a verifier. A practical sequence:
Set the boundary
Decide which legal entities, sites and activities belong in the inventory, and how you consolidate them: operational control, financial control or equity share. Write the choice down; it drives everything after it.
Map emission sources
List Scope 1 sources (fuel in generators, boilers and vehicles, process emissions, refrigerant leaks) and Scope 2 sources (purchased electricity, heat, steam or cooling), and note which Scope 3 categories matter for your business.
Collect activity data with evidence
Gather invoices, meter readings, fuel logs and maintenance records for each source and period, with a named owner for each data set, so every reported figure can be traced back to a document.
Calculate with a documented method
Apply a recognised methodology, such as the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard or ISO 14064-1, with stated emission factors and assumptions, and record them in a methodology note.
Register and report on the IEQT
Register your organisation on MOCCAE's IEQT at mrv.ae, set up the people who provide and approve data, and submit your emissions in the format MOCCAE requires.
Keep records, prepare for verification, plan reductions
Retain the data trail, appoint an accredited verification body early where verification applies, and turn the inventory into a reduction plan you can track year on year.
How WeCarbon helps
We prepare and file. Accredited bodies verify.
Organisation-level carbon accounting under ISO 14064 is one of the core services of our sustainability advisory team, which works from offices in Dubai (DIFC Innovation One), Shanghai and Paris. For UAE climate law compliance, our scope is the preparation and submission of your emissions data:
- GHG inventory scoping: organisational and operational boundary, emission sources, Scope 1 and 2, and the Scope 3 categories worth tracking now.
- Data collection: templates and checklists for sites, facilities and finance teams; we follow up on gaps and keep an evidence file for every figure.
- Calculation under the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1, with a methodology note and emission-factor register you can hand to a verifier.
- Report preparation and IEQT support: we prepare the figures and the report for MOCCAE and support your team through registration and submission on mrv.ae.
- Verification readiness: we organise the evidence and work with the independent verification body you appoint, answering its questions on methods and data.
- Reduction planning: decarbonisation measures and targets built on your inventory, through our net-zero transition advisory.
WeCarbon is not a verification body. Where the rules require verification, it is performed by an independent body accredited for greenhouse gas verification. We prepare your inventory and documentation and work alongside the verifier; we do not verify our own work.
FAQ
UAE climate law: frequently asked questions
Does the UAE climate law apply to companies in free zones?
Yes. Federal Decree-Law No. (11) of 2024 covers public and private entities whose activities emit greenhouse gases, including entities operating in free zones. Which entities must submit what, and when, is set out in MOCCAE's implementing resolutions.
When did Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024 take effect?
It was issued on 28 August 2024 and entered into force on 30 May 2025.
Where do companies report their emissions?
Through MOCCAE's National MRV system. Its Integrated Emissions Quantification Tool (IEQT), at mrv.ae, is where organisations register and submit their emissions data.
Which methodology should we use for the inventory?
A recognised, documented one. We build organisational inventories on the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard and ISO 14064-1 and record the emission factors and assumptions used, so the result can be checked against MOCCAE's requirements and followed by a verifier. For large emitters, national MRV rules refer to IPCC methodologies.
Who verifies the emissions report? Can WeCarbon do it?
Verification, where required, is done by an independent body accredited for greenhouse gas verification. WeCarbon is not a verification body: we prepare the inventory and the report and work with the verifier you appoint. Keeping preparation and verification separate is what makes the verification independent.
We are listed on ADX or DFM. How does this relate to our sustainability report?
The emissions you report to MOCCAE and the Scope 1 and 2 figures in your sustainability report should come from the same inventory. Our page on ESG reporting in the UAE covers the listed-company side.
Official sources
- UAE Legislation portal: Federal Decree-Law No. (11) of 2024
- MOCCAE: launch of the National MRV system (October 2025)
- MOCCAE Integrated Emissions Quantification Tool (mrv.ae)
- ADX ESG Disclosure Guidance for Listed Companies (June 2025), summary of Cabinet Resolution No. (67) of 2024
This page summarises public information as of October 2026 and is not legal advice. Penalties, deadlines and sector-specific requirements are set by the law and MOCCAE's resolutions; check the current official texts before acting.
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