Amman, July 18 (Petra) - A voluntary technical transition to reduce industrial nitrous oxide emissions is set to lower the carbon footprint and reinforce the global market access of the Arab Fertilizers and Chemicals Industries (Kemapco), marking the first private-sector deployment of its kind in the Kingdom.

The initiative follows the signing of a tripartite memorandum of understanding between Kemapco - a wholly owned subsidiary of the Arab Potash Company - the Ministry of Environment, and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA). The agreement establishes an operational framework to mitigate nitrous oxide emissions resulting from nitric acid manufacturing at the company’s primary chemical complex in Aqaba.

Developed in coordination with the German Federal Government under the Nitric Acid Climate Action Group (NACAG) and implemented via the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the project aims to abate approximately 150,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per annum.

Kemapco Chairman Shehadeh Abu Hdaib stated that while current emissions at the Aqaba facility align with global baseline standards, the voluntary integration of advanced abatement technology prepares the enterprise for shifting international regulatory demands. Abu Hdaib noted that lowering the carbon intensity of Kemapco's premium potassium nitrate fertilizer is essential for navigating the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

The company currently exports its specialized chemical outputs to approximately 90 countries.

Under the terms of the agreement, Kemapco is responsible for the long-term capitalization, continuous operation, and maintenance of the nitrous oxide catalyst systems and secondary monitoring networks, while delivering verified emission reduction datasets to regulatory auditors.

Environment Minister Ayman Suleiman stated that the public-private partnership supports Jordan's updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

The state is aiming for a 31 percent reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, which includes a 5 percent unconditional target and a 26 percent component conditional upon international climate finance. Suleiman added that the project will standardize industrial measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) protocols to improve domestic climate transparency tracking.

ASEZA Board of Commissioners Chairman Shadi Al-Majali confirmed that the authority will oversee technical compliance, field inspections, and quarterly verification reporting in tandem with the Ministry of Environment. The joint municipal-ministerial framework also includes capacity-building modules and collaborative annual reviews to optimize industrial environmental performance within the Aqaba economic zone.

The administrative protocol was signed by Ministry of Environment Secretary-General Omar Arabiyat, ASEZA Commissioner for Environment and Safety Nidal Al-Ouran, and Kemapco General Manager Bassam Al-Zoumot. The global NACAG framework currently spans 11 participating nations, with combined projects projected to mitigate roughly 2.6 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.

//Petra// AA