Manama – Sustainability Forum Middle East (SFME) today announced the launch of a carbon offsetting initiative in partnership with SAFA, a Lead Partner of the Forum, enabling participants attending SFME’s fourth edition on 27–28 January 2026 at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay to offset emissions associated with their participation. The Forum will once again be held in the presence of H.E. Dr. Mohamed bin Mubarak Bin Daina, Minister of Oil and Environment and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, Kingdom of Bahrain, and with the support of the Supreme Council for Environment.
The initiative reflects both SAFA’s and SFME’s focus on translating climate ambition into practical, actionable solutions, recognising that while emissions reduction remains the priority, high-integrity carbon offsetting is a critical complementary tool in supporting national and global net-zero pathways.
Through the SAFA platform, participants will be able to offset their event-related emissions using a simple and transparent process, with two options available:
- 1 tonne of CO₂e for participants attending from within Bahrain
- 2 tonnes of CO₂e for participants travelling to Bahrain by air
Commenting, Talal Al Araifi, Chief Executive Officer of SAFA, said, “Carbon markets play an essential role in mobilising much-needed capital for climate action and enabling organisations and individuals to take responsibility for their emissions. By supporting SFME participants to offset their footprint, we are reinforcing the message that every action matters. This initiative also demonstrates how high-integrity carbon offsets can support Bahrain’s net-zero ambitions while delivering measurable global impact.”
Offsets generated through the initiative will support SAFA’s portfolio of verified, high-integrity international climate projects, with funds distributed across multiple initiatives. These currently include projects such as providing solar cookers for refugees in Chad, promoting improved cooking practices in Nigeria, capturing landfill gas for electricity generation in Türkiye, and restoring mangrove ecosystems through the Delta Blue Carbon project in Pakistan.
Laila Danesh, Managing Director of FinMark Communications and Founder of Sustainability Forum Middle East, added, “Sustainability Forum Middle East is proud to partner with SAFA on this important initiative. Our focus is on moving from dialogue to implementation and encouraging participants to offset their carbon footprint is a practical way for every individual and organisational to take action to support Bahrain’s climate objectives and wider global net-zero efforts. Through our partnership with SAFA, we are making credible climate action accessible, tangible, and impactful.”
Participants are encouraged to offset their emissions prior to the Forum, with additional support available onsite. SAFA will have a dedicated booth and team present throughout SFME, providing guidance on how to offset participation at the event and how carbon markets can support climate action beyond the Forum.
To offset now, participants can visit SAFA’s website at [Individuals – SAFA | https://safa.earth/ ] and follow a few simple steps. Users should select Activity-Based Emissions, change the category from Flight to Carbon (cloud icon), select 1 tonne or 2 tonnes depending on their participation, and complete payment directly through the platform.
By embedding carbon offsetting into the Forum experience, SFME and SAFA aim to highlight the role of high-integrity carbon markets as a practical and credible mechanism for financing climate solutions, supporting climate resilience, and advancing the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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