Carboun Institute: Grantee Spotlight (Q3 2026)

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The Giving Green Fund is awarding a restricted grant to the Carboun Institute for its work to decarbonize industry in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The Carboun Institute is an independent climate and energy policy think tank registered in the Netherlands, with staff based across Europe and MENA.

The Carboun Institute's work falls within our philanthropic strategies of decarbonizing cement and concrete, and supporting cross-cutting enablers for industrial decarbonization (as discussed in our Industry sector report). Please see Giving Green's strategy and sector reports for more information, including potential risks and co-benefits, recommended sub-strategies, theory of change, funding need, and key uncertainties.

Last updated: October 2026

What Is the Carboun Institute?

The Carboun Institute is the first climate and energy policy think tank focused on the MENA region. It was launched in 2025 and has programs on energy and industry decarbonization, climate resilience, and climate diplomacy. It aims to research and develop policy recommendations tailored to MENA’s unique context.

What Are We Funding, and How Could It Help Address Climate Change?

The Carboun Institute plans to use our funding to launch a cement decarbonization program. MENA’s cement demand is expected to grow rapidly in the coming decades, and current production is especially emissions-intensive compared to the global average. The Carboun Institute’s main policy focuses are launching green public procurement commitments and encouraging cement formulations that reduce the use of emissions-intensive clinker.

The Carboun Institute plans to use the first year of the program to generate evidence on key mitigation pathways, then use it as a basis for policy engagement from year two onward. It plans to engage ministries of industry and trade, as well as development finance institutions, to enact its policy recommendations.

The Carboun Institute is a new organization, and this kind of policy advocacy is largely untested in the region. Because we are also excited about its work to decarbonize steel and chemicals, our grant can be used flexibly across these sectors, allowing it to shift effort between cement, steel, and ammonia as it learns where it can have the largest impact.

Why Do We Think the Carboun Institute Will Use This Funding Well?

Because the MENA region and cement decarbonization are both severely underfunded relative to their scale of emissions, we see large marginal value in funding efforts targeted at these areas. With few other independent voices on climate policy in the region, the Carboun Institute has room to steer early narratives on industrial decarbonization. We also think the Carboun Institute's framing is well suited to its audience, anchoring its messaging in opportunities for competitiveness and growth.

In the short time it has been active, the Carboun Institute has quickly built a substantial body of work and media profile. Since launching, it has published more than 20 policy briefs, papers, and reports, and its analysis has featured in outlets including the BBC and Al Jazeera. Its green steel work is now moving from research toward national roadmapping, and it plans to follow a similar path with its cement program.

We have been impressed by the Carboun Institute’s thoughtful and strategic business plan, early track record, and leadership team. We think it is well placed to be a leading voice on industrial decarbonization policy in the MENA region.

We publish grant spotlights to offer transparency to Giving Green Fund donors and resources for those interested in the impact strategies each grant supports. Giving Green believes our Top Climate Nonprofits have the greatest impact potential for large, unrestricted gifts. For several reasons, we also disburse and recommend grants to other organizations surfaced through our research process for work that we believe is at least as impactful as grants to our top recommendations.

This is a non-partisan analysis (study or research) and is provided for educational purposes.

The Carboun Institute is a registered nonprofit in the Netherlands.