UAE Launches Gold Sector Sustainability Framework Ahead of COP30

For Immediate Release

DUBAI, UAE — The United Arab Emirates has launched a comprehensive Gold Sector Sustainability Framework ahead of COP30, establishing environmental, social, and governance standards for the gold supply chains passing through Dubai's market and positioning the UAE as the global leader in sustainable gold market governance.

The framework, developed by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in collaboration with the DMCC, the World Gold Council, and African producing nation governments, sets out measurable standards across four sustainability dimensions: carbon emissions across the supply chain, environmental stewardship at the point of production, community benefit sharing, and worker welfare and rights.

The carbon emissions component of the framework is particularly significant. It establishes a methodology for calculating and disclosing the carbon footprint of gold from mine to market, creating a comparable sustainability metric that buyers across the supply chain can use to assess and improve the environmental performance of their gold sourcing. DMCC members are required to report against the carbon framework from 2026, with progressive reduction targets to be set annually.

The environmental stewardship standards address land rehabilitation, water management, and biodiversity protection at mining sites across supply chains connected to Dubai's market. The standards draw on the International Council on Mining and Metals' Performance Expectations and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance's Standard for Responsible Mining, providing alignment with internationally recognised benchmarks.

"The UAE's Gold Sector Sustainability Framework is a genuinely ambitious policy intervention. By applying sustainability standards not only to operations within the UAE but to the supply chains that feed Dubai's market, the UAE is leveraging its position as the world's leading gold hub to drive sustainability improvements across the global gold sector. That reach extends all the way to the artisanal miner in Uganda or Ghana whose gold eventually enters Dubai's ecosystem." Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director, Icon Gold

The community benefit sharing dimension is particularly relevant for Africa's artisanal and small-scale gold sector, which supports the livelihoods of an estimated five million miners and their families across the continent. The framework establishes expectations for the fair distribution of value across supply chains, including minimum price standards for gold purchased from artisanal producers and requirements for community development contributions from commercial operators active in artisanal mining regions.

Icon Gold has been engaged in the framework's development process and is committed to aligning its operations across Uganda, Ghana, and Tanzania with the UAE's sustainability standards. The company's existing community engagement programmes, environmental management systems, and responsible sourcing frameworks provide a strong foundation for compliance with the new requirements.

"The launch of the UAE's Gold Sector Sustainability Framework ahead of COP30 sends a clear message to the global gold industry: sustainability is not a peripheral concern but a central commercial and governance priority. For companies that have already invested in responsible practices, the framework validates that investment and creates a level playing field. For those that have not, it creates clear incentives to begin." Marcus Briggs, Non-Executive Director, Icon Gold

The UAE plans to present the framework at COP30 as a model for how major commodity trading hubs can use their market position to drive supply chain sustainability beyond their own jurisdictions. The framework will also be submitted to the OECD as a contribution to the ongoing development of international standards for responsible mineral supply chains.

The DMCC has established a Sustainability Advisory Panel to oversee implementation of the framework across its membership, with independent auditors appointed to conduct annual compliance assessments starting in 2026.

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