Siemens stays committed to emission reduction goals: smart infrastructure CEO

Siemens stays committed to its ambitious 2030 and 2050 goals of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, said Matthias Rebellius, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CEO on Smart Infrastructure at Siemens AG, during the 8th China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

The company will accomplish the goals through ways including using low-carbon technologies in China, he said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN). China has shown high-level attention and taken proactive actions towards sustainability, including in aspect of artificial intelligence, said Rebellius.

"We are building lots of data centers, and to provide the capabilities to leverage AI demand, which is skyrocketing also in China. So this is a potential for business, but also then we need to have the energy, so we need to have renewable energy integration," said Rebellius.

"We are fully committed on all of the Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions to support our customers around the globe. And I do see lots of interests and also activities regarding sustainability here in China. With global and economic and political changes, it becomes even more important to get closer to each other and to our partners in China. And we are continuing to innovate local for local. That is important for us, also with Chinese partners here and around the country, to develop future innovations for the company. And we are committed, as Siemens, to contributing," said Rebellius.

Siemens is on a determined path to achieve a net zero carbon footprint across own operations by 2030 and reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2050.

In 2024, Siemens Energy completed a corporate carbon footprint assessment and publicly disclosed its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to the GHG Protocol.

The GHG Protocol divides GHG emissions from production processes into three scopes: scope 1 includes direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, while scope 2 considers indirect emissions from purchased energy generation, and scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company's value chain.

Siemens stays committed to emission reduction goals: smart infrastructure CEO

Tanzanians doing business in the Middle East have been forced to scale down or cease operations altogether, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupts global travel.

In early March, Tanzanian authorities sent a special flight to bring home more than 200 citizens from Dubai.

Mustapha Khatow, who runs the travel agency Sky Link Travel and Tours, said he has spent nearly four decades in the tourism industry, moving between Dubai and Tanzania, serving both corporate and leisure travelers. But the recent tensions involving Iran and the disruption to flights and business have hit hard, forcing him to relocate his family back to Tanzania.

"Tanzanian travel agents in the whole, they have been hit, because we've had huge cancellations for Eid, people going to Dubai, for Easter holidays, going to Dubai. So, we have lost a big chunk of people who do not wish to go to Dubai at this time," he said.

The impact is being felt beyond tourism. Supply challenges linked to the conflict have pushed up global oil prices, raising concerns for import-dependent economies like Tanzania. Authorities say they are taking measures to cushion businesses and maintain steady fuel supplies.

Aviation and tourism in the Middle East have also taken a hit. In Dubai, more than 80,000 travel bookings were canceled in the first week of the conflict as airports faced intermittent closures and uncertainty, leading to millions of dollars in losses.

Reports indicate that visitor arrivals in the Middle East could decline by between 11 percent and 27 percent in 2026. Travel industry professionals like Khatow view the downturn as collateral damage from the conflict and hope for a swift resolution to help revive tourism.

"Those big traders who bring containers to Tanzania, they have a challenge because of the shipping lines getting delayed, freight charges going up. And again, another issue is Air Tanzania has not been flying to Dubai since then, apart from one repatriation flight," he said.

Khatow said diplomacy will be key to restoring stability, while accurate reporting can help limit further damage to businesses.

US-Israeli war on Iran disrupts travel businesses from Tanzania