HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer put youth at fore of WGES agenda

Aimed to promote the engagement of youth in a green economy, His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Chairman of WGES; called upon the youth in the UAE and around the world to become part of the global efforts towards reaching a green economy. He made the remark for the opening speech at the ‘Youth Dialogue - Going Green: Practical or unrealistic for today’s youth’ held at the fourth edition of the World Green Economy Summit on October 24th at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC).

“As we all know, the youth’s contribution in the green economy is one of the most important topics on the agenda for the fourth edition of the World Green Economy Summit. As such the theme ‘Driving Innovation, Leading Change’, illustrates the pivotal role that young people play in the transformation to the green economy, because innovation and creativity are qualities of youth, and the change we seek is a continuous process, which to a large extent is driven by the youth,” said His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

“The youth is the future and hope of our country, and it is imperative that we support them, encourage their views and opinions and strive hard to make them an integral part of the economic, social and environmental development and growth,” added His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

 “Youth activism and engagement can bring about important social changes. As such, it is important that the young population is given a chance to contribute to the growth of a green economy. Each individual’s contribution can be a qualitative addition to the development and implementation of green plans and strategies, particularly because today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow and the drivers for change leading us and the generations to come close to a better future,” said His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

“We always strive to promote active participation of young people in various initiatives, campaigns and sustainable projects as part of our efforts to achieve the national and strategic objectives of the country, including UAE Vision 2021, UAE Centennial 2071, Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and other national efforts. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) have launched a number of youth initiatives that have proven to be significant. From hosting the Solar Decathlon Middle East to sponsoring the Carbon Ambassadors Program, organising youth seminars and launching the Youth Council which seeks to empower young people and involve them in the process of development, we’ve always encouraged a green dialogue for and by the youth,” added His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

The Youth Dialogue facilitated discussions on various topics including how can governments benefit from this immense opportunity and leverage the power of young people to lead a global transformation towards sustainability, are there sufficient incentives and alternatives for those who want to adopt environmentally friendly lifestyles, can the youth be empowered to lead the next generation of businesses as change agents towards a green economy and much more. Spearheaded by speakers as Khalid Al Ameri, Columnist, The National; Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, Director General at Emirates Wildlife Society – WWF; Noura Alhammadi, R&D Technologist, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Research & Development Center and Simon Bushell, Co Founder & CEO, Sympower, the Youth Dialogue discussed issues related to sustainability and climate change and shared ideas on their importance for achieving a sustainable future and preparing for a post-oil era.

“While the session today is a great impetus to focus on the creative energies of the youth in different fields, we’re confident that the constructive discussion will result in positive outcomes that are reflected in future policies and plans for a green economy. Furthermore, we’ll ensure that ideas, suggestions and contributions from today’s session will be presented to the right audience and decision-makers, which will serve as a boost for sustainable development and protection of the environment and facilitate a quick transition to the green economy. Taking into consideration the active participation of the youth in today’s session, we’re confident that if the youth continue to take this responsibility and implement green plans and strategies, we’ll be able to achieve the ambitious green goals for us and the future generations in no time,” concluded His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

At the end of the session, the participating youth along with the speakers and facilitators pledged to carry the responsibility, both on local and global levels, to successfully combat climate change and achieve sustainability.