UAE GHG Reporting Requirements 2026: What Businesses Must Do Before the Deadline

Introduction

I still see many UAE businesses treating greenhouse gas reporting as something they will get to later. A sustainability initiative. A nice addition when there is time and budget.

That approach is no longer viable.

Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024 on the Reduction of Climate Change Effects is now in force. The compliance deadline is 30 May 2026. This is not a guideline. It is a legal requirement with penalties that can reach AED 2 million.

The shift has already happened. This is not about ESG positioning anymore. It is about compliance and risk.

UAE GHG Reporting Requirements: What the Law Requires

The law broadly applies to public and private entities across the UAE, including free zones, with further clarification issued by Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

In practical terms, most businesses must:

• Measure and report Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions

• Register on the national MRV platform at mrv.ae

• Submit a clear emissions reduction plan

• Maintain records for at least five years for audit purposes

Scope 3 reporting is expected to become mandatory from 2027. For now, the focus is on direct emissions and energy use.

Most inventories are prepared in line with the GHG Protocol or ISO 14064. In simple terms, this means collecting activity data such as electricity consumption or fuel usage and applying the correct emission factors to calculate total emissions.

The Real Challenge in UAE GHG Reporting: Getting the Data Together

In most organisations, the issue is not the final report. It is getting the data in one place.

Electricity bills sit with finance. Fuel records are managed by operations. Refrigerant logs are often with external contractors. No one person usually has a complete view.

In a typical SME, this often involves three to five different data owners across departments. Getting alignment between them is where delays usually begin.

So the first real task becomes mapping all data sources, pulling them together and checking if they are usable. This step alone takes time.

A proper GHG inventory also needs clear boundaries, documented assumptions and a method that can be explained if reviewed. This is where many companies underestimate the effort involved.

UAE GHG Reporting Deadline 2026: Where Things Stand Now

We are now only a few weeks away from 30 May 2026.

If your organisation has not started, the situation is straightforward. You are behind.

There has been some discussion about a possible extension while technical guidance is finalised. At this point, there is no official confirmation. Planning based on an extension is a risk most businesses cannot afford.

At minimum, companies should already be registered on the MRV platform, have an internal owner assigned and be actively collecting Scope 1 and Scope 2 data.

What You Should Do This Week for UAE GHG Compliance

If you are just getting started, focus on a few immediate steps:

• Register on the MRV platform

• Assign a responsible internal lead

• Identify all emission related data sources

• Start collecting electricity and fuel data

• Review gaps early before submission

This will not complete your reporting but it will get you moving in the right direction.

Why Verification Matters in UAE GHG Reporting

Submitting numbers is one part of the process. Being able to support them is what matters.

Authorities or appointed verifiers can request supporting data and methodology at any time. If the numbers cannot be justified, the risk is not just rejection. It is financial penalty.

For larger emitters, third party verification is already required. For others, it is quickly becoming an expectation. Clients, banks and procurement teams are starting to ask for verified emissions data before making decisions.

Final Thought

The UAE has moved early in making climate reporting a legal requirement. That direction is not going to reverse.

30 May 2026 is simply the first milestone. The expectations will only become more detailed from here.

For organisations that are still getting started, the biggest challenge right now is not intent. It is knowing how to structure the data, apply the methodology correctly and prepare something that can stand up to review.

To address this, we are conducting a practical training session:

GHG Accounting Practitioner Training
06 May 2026

This will be our final training before the 30 May 2026 compliance deadline under Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024 on the Reduction of Climate Change Effects.

The session covers Scope 1 and Scope 2 calculations, data collection and MRV readiness using the GHG Protocol.

If you are still preparing for compliance, this is realistically your last structured opportunity to get clarity before the deadline.

Register here: https://forms.gle/jKveXnSKgFGQfk3s6

Seats are limited. Our team will follow up with payment details after registration.

Training Fee: AED 550 + 5% VAT
Queries: sales@sustainacert.com | +971 56 418 8540 (WhatsApp)