The launch of the Forbes Middle East Summit "Sustainability Leaders 2025 " In Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI, 14th October, 2018 (WAM) – The third edition of the Forbes Middle East “Sustainability Leaders” Summit was launched today in Abu Dhabi under the slogan “Guided by Legacy, Commitment to Sustainability,” headed by Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment.
The summit is being held in strategic partnership with the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and the Zayed Authority for People of Determination, in addition to the participation of the NMDC Group as a main partner, to emphasize the pivotal position of the UAE in leading climate action and promoting the transition towards a green economy.
The opening of the two-day summit, which was held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), was attended by Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Cultural and Educational Institutions, Her Excellency Dr. Sheikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, and Engineer Yasser Zaghloul, CEO of NMDC Group.
The summit witnessed the presence of a number of senior officials and decision-makers in the public and private sectors, as well as sustainability experts, investors and entrepreneurs.
The summit discusses innovative solutions that support the balance between economic development and environmental preservation, and reviews investment opportunities in the green economy with the participation of elite executive leaders and innovative start-up companies in the field of clean technologies.
For her part, Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al-Dahhak said that the Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit represents an integrated platform that brings together governments, the private sector, and youth within one vision towards a more sustainable future, pointing out that its holding comes in conjunction with the World Conservation Congress in confirmation of the UAE’s commitment, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” to achieving comprehensive sustainability across various sectors and at all levels. National and international.
Her Excellency stressed that confronting climate change, developing sustainable agriculture, preserving environmental systems, promoting the green economy, and shifting to sustainable production and consumption systems represent major pillars of balanced development and raising economic competitiveness. The success of the sustainability system requires integration of efforts, unification of visions, and harmony of environmental and development policies with economic, technological and social transformations, to ensure flexible growth. And sustainable for communities.
Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan said in her speech entitled “Drops of Awareness – The Gateway to Abundance Begins with an Idea” that water scarcity is not just a crisis we are experiencing, but rather a matter of threatening societal security. In any society that lacks successful solutions to water scarcity, this will clearly reflect on societal security. Therefore, we must be aware that every drop of water that is managed consciously and efficiently is in fact a dose of societal stability.
She added that in 2024, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” launched the Mohammed bin Zayed Water Initiative to confront the water crisis, which seeks to confront the challenge of water scarcity not only at the level of the Emirates but also at the global level to reflect the spirit of participation and the value of human solidarity, which is considered part of our human heritage. The initiative is based on several important main pillars, including technical innovation through the application of technological solutions. Effective and also based on awareness at the local and global levels so that the world becomes aware of the extent of the existential threat facing humanity.
The Secretary-General of the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi said that Abu Dhabi’s approach to sustainability embodies an integrated vision that places nature at the heart of the development process, believing that environmental health is the basic foundation for economic prosperity and community well-being, adding that by harnessing science and technology and strengthening partnerships, we are working to establish a development model that balances innovation and restoration.
She stressed that the Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit is a platform that contributes to unifying efforts to confront climate change and empowering young people to lead the transition towards a more sustainable future, where investing in nature becomes an investment in a better life for all.
Kholoud Al-Omyan, CEO and editor-in-chief of Forbes Middle East, stressed that the summit embodies the spirit of cooperation and collective responsibility towards climate action, noting that innovation, partnership and investment in knowledge represent the pillars of a real transformation towards a more balanced future between humans and planet Earth.
The first day’s program included extensive discussion sessions that addressed the role of environmental, social and institutional governance (ESG) in promoting economic growth and leading climate action, and the importance of partnerships between the public and private sectors in developing innovative, scalable solutions. The discussions also focused on major industrial transformations in the region, and the importance of investing in advanced technology and artificial intelligence to reduce emissions and support the building of more sustainable economic systems.
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