ASME at COP28

Nations worldwide united for the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai, to discuss climate goals. More than 80,000 world leaders, climate scientists, and industry leaders took part in this landmark event, including ASME sustainability staff. The 13-day Climate Summit focused on the effects of greenhouse gas emissions and the promotion of technologies for sustainable development.  Specific goals for the summit included capping global temperature averages, supporting at-risk communities, and reducing net emissions.   

COP28 is used as a forum for engineering organizations like ASME to network, collaborate, and educate policymakers and industries regarding this transition to a more diverse energy mix. Decisions made at this climate summit could affect all sectors of ASME, from the standards used for innovative technologies, to the jobs created by the clean energy transition. 

Iana Aranda, Senior Manager of Engineering for Sustainable Development, represented ASME and our members at the COP28 summit this year. While there, she provided an engineering perspective on issues ranging from decarbonization technologies, green infrastructure, new standardization requirements, and workforce development needs. 

Engineers play a pivotal role in clean energy efforts and ASME members contribute technological expertise and innovative solutions. They are the forefront of creating technological methods to harness clean energy sources, including solar, hydro, and nuclear power. These advancements entail designing, installing, and improving renewable energy infrastructures while generating jobs across diverse engineering disciplines.  

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the solar industry anticipates substantial growth in clean energy jobs.  Engineering jobs in this sector are estimated to rise by 56%. Similarly, jobs in the wind turbine arena are projected to be the fastest growing jobs in the U.S economy. New technologies such as small modular reactors or growth of nuclear fusion promise to increase engineering jobs in the nuclear sector as well. 

The transition towards clean energy not only offers engineers opportunities for career advancement and professional development but also allows them to contribute meaningfully to developing solutions to real world challenges.  

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 

ASME’s presence at COP28 has been essential in demonstrating our dedication to science-based climate solutions. ASME will continue to encourage collaboration between industry and policymakers to find technical answers to global changes, as we continue to represent the voices of engineers around the world. 

ASME members are influential for clean energy related policy issues. Your voice matters! Let us know what you think on X (formerly known as Twitter). Share your ideas by using the handles below:  

@ASME_GR 
#EngineeringForTheFuture
#CleanEnergy