Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), hosted by Masdar as a global platform for accelerating sustainability, opened on Monday at the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo 2020 Dubai. The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in presence of Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
The ceremony was also attended by Lt Gen Shaikh Saif bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Shaikh Hamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and a number of senior officials.
Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum welcomed the leaders and experts meeting in the UAE to discuss issues related to sustainability and intensify collaborative efforts to find solutions for moving the world towards a more sustainable future.
Highlighting the importance of ADSW, the first global gathering of its kind after COP26, Shaikh Mohammed said, "Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week lays a pathway for COP28 when the UAE will welcome the world in 2023. The continued success of ADSW, which every year sets the sustainability agenda for the year to come, fully reflects our nation’s leadership in the field of climate action. This year’s convening of ADSW as part of Expo 2020 Dubai provides an opportunity for the convergence of global expertise to stimulate constructive dialogue and push efforts towards implementing innovative solutions."
Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, said: "As the first event of its kind since COP26, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is a kick start to carbon neutrality this year, offering strength through unity. This event holds great significance with the UAE hosting COP28 in 2023 - a milestone for the country’s journey over the next 50 years. The UAE is a powerhouse of sustainable development for the Middle East and beyond, with pathways showing the way for the rest of the world."
Dr Sultan al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and Chairman of Masdar, addressed the challenge of maintaining economic progress, while turning back the clock on emissions.
He said, "Finding the answers to these questions has been the mission of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the Zayed Sustainability Prize - a mission that builds on the UAE’s position as a pioneer in clean energy. When we began investing in the renewables space more than 15 years ago, our leadership had a theory of the future that has been proven right over time. Today, the UAE is home to the largest and lowest cost solar plants in the world. And globally the future of renewable energy is just as bright."
As one of the largest gatherings concerned with discussing sustainability issues, ADSW provides a global platform for cooperation, knowledge exchange, investment and innovation, as it attracts more than 45,000 participants annually representing more than 170 countries and hosts nearly 1,000 international companies.
@HammamBadi
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
