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