Creative Emirati approach to confronting challenges of climate change

The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), which is being held virtually from 18th to 21st January, 2021, embodies the UAE's proactive approach to addressing the challenges of sustainability and mitigating the effects of climate change.

The UAE is a leader amongst the global coalition of nations that are committed to tackling climate change. As announced at the end of 2020, the UAE has delivered its national pledges and commitments in the Paris Climate Change Agreement, with its pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 25 percent before 2030.

Hosted by Masdar, ADSW will explore through a series of high-level virtual events will help to set the global sustainability agenda for 2021 and explore the opportunities to achieve a "green recovery" post the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virtual events will include the ADSW Summit, IRENA Assembly, Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum, Y4S Youth Forums and the World Future Energy Summit Webinars.

It brings together a unique fusion of policymakers, industry specialists, technology pioneers and the next generation of sustainability leaders to engage in dialogue and take action to advance the global sustainability agenda.

The events will start with The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly, which will bring together government ministers, member delegations as well as heads of international and regional organizations to contribute to the global energy transformation dialogue.

On Tuesday, 19th January, 2021, the ADSW Summit hosted by Masdar will focus on three pillars: LIVE & MOVE, CARE & ENGAGE, WORK & INVEST.

Each session of the summit is designed to set the agenda for sustainable recovery and explore the social, economic and technological opportunities to achieve a "green recovery" post-COVID-19.

Throughout ADSW, Masdar will also host the Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) virtual Youth Forums, a three-day youth-led programme aimed at exploring ways for young people to play an active role in the implementation of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and UAE’s 50 Year Development Plan.

The forums will also be an opportunity for youth to reimagine the skills they need for future jobs and how they can contribute to sustainable development and the UAE’s long-term vision.

Youth members from local schools, universities and partner organizations, as well as young participants from around the world, are invited to participate.

Y4S, a Masdar initiative, invests and actively supports the development of our most valuable asset, our young people. The purpose is to create awareness of sustainability amongst youth and offer online knowledge-based programmes to up-to 1 million young people by 2030.

On Wednesday, 20th January, the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) will host the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum (ADSFF).

Institutional investors, financial institutions, government officials, regulators, development finance institutions and project developers will come together to explore emerging themes, identify sustainable solutions and showcase concrete actions.

ADSW will conclude with The Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum on Thursday, 21st January. International and regional political, industry and thought leaders will set the global energy agenda for the year and examine the longer-term geopolitical and geo-economic implications of the changing energy system.

Key themes of the Global Energy Forum will include "The Post-COVID-19 Energy System", "The Road to Net-Zero", "The Role of the Middle East in the Energy Transition", and "US Energy and Foreign Policy in the Next Administration".

The 2020 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week hosted nearly 45,000 attendees from 170 countries, with more than 500 high-level speakers from around the world.

WAM/أ /Rola Alghoul/Rasha Abubaker