Dubai, UAE – 2nd April, 2014: HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Chairman of World Green Economy Summit (WGES) that will be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the latest preparations to the Summit, including the keynote speakers and the agenda. This Summit will be hosted by DEWA from 15 to 16 April 2014 in conjunction with the 16th Water, Energy, Technology And Environment Exhibition “WETEX 2014” that will be held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
As the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East and North Africa under the theme “World Partnerships For Sustainable Future”, the Summit’s programme includes speeches by VIPs, public seminars, round-table meetings and workshops aiming to reach practical and viable recommendations to drive the green economy.
This was announced in a press conference held today at the Intercontinental Hotel, Festival City, Dubai, in the presence of the Summit’s partners and sponsors as well as top DEWA officials.
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said;
“Through the World Green Economy Summit, we aim to contribute and add to global efforts made to combat the adverse effects of climate change. Our objectives in this regard include realization of the national goal to encourage the growth of a green economy through investment, green partnerships and the creation of a global market for green products, technologies and services.
“Holding this high-profile event is testament to Dubai’s global position, leading role and pursuit towards transitioning into a green economy, in line with the initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai under the theme “Green Economy For Sustainable Development”. It is also in line with the UAE’s Vision 2021 aiming to achieve balanced growth through a package of sustainable sources of energy, including alternative, renewable and nuclear energy.
"The Summit also falls in line with the “Dubai Green Economy Partnership” launched by HH Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and President of the Executive Council, to promote the UAE and Dubai’s position as a global leader in the green economy field.
“The World Green Economy Summit is an important platform that brings together governments, non-government organisations and business sector with the purpose of finding green viable solutions that can contribute to the transformation to world green economy. In Dubai, we have promising initiatives, strategies and projects in this field – all contributing to the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, which aims to diversify energy sources to include 71% gas, 12% clean coal, 12% nuclear energy and 5% solar energy, while reducing consumption by 30% by 2030.
In addition, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park’s first project is now in operation. The consultancy services for the 100 Megawatt second project of this giant Solar Park have been awarded, and the total capacity of this Park will reach 1000 Megawatt after having been completed by 2030. We have also Al Quoz Sustainable Building – the first sustainable government building in the UAE and the largest sustainable government building in the world according to the standards of US Green Building Council. Also, in Dubai, we have 8 programmes, 24 initiatives, and 76 procedures to manage demand – all aiming to reduce consumption and promote conservation so as to achieve green economy and sustainable development for a better future,” said His Excellency.
“There are many high-profile participants in this Summit, including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Environment and Water, where different matters of energy, particularly the green economy will be addressed. A number of partnerships and agreements will be reached with organizations in the Middle East and North Africa that share our vision in organising this Summit. Some of our partners and supporting organizations include, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), State Of Green from Denmark, Regions 20, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, International Network of Sustainable Building, Carbon Disclosure Project.
“This Summit will also contribute to Dubai’s pursuit to become a Smart City and will bring together top thinkers and decision makers in the field of green economy.
Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President for Strategy & Business Development, DEWA, and Chairman of the Dubai Green Economy Partnership, said;
“This Summit is the first of its kind in the region, and one of few Summits globally to look at the business opportunity around the green economy. Many global conferences address the need to “go green”, but WGES will make this happen and will create a framework for action.”
Key plenary sessions at the WGES include;
The plenary sessions will be supported by a number of breakout sessions, namely, Smart cities – smart infrastructure, International climate agreement: the road to Paris 2015, energy efficiency – big time, and pathways to increasing the share of renewables.
Confirmed speakers at WGES 2014 include:
“We have a clear aspiration for this upcoming Summit and the WGES brand as a whole. We want to build a genuine business platform focusing on the green economy, where public and private sector stakeholders can converge, do deals, and share insights. We believe that we have those elements in place and with the support from the UAE Government, we expect this Summit to become the go-to event for green economic issues.” WGES Programme Chairman, Andre Schneider said.
//www.wges.ae/