Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), the global platform for accelerating sustainable development, hosted by Masdar, has been reimagined virtually and will be held from 18 to 21 January 2021
ADSW 2021 will feature a series of high-level virtual events, including the ADSW Summit, IRENA Assembly, Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum, Youth 4 Sustainability Virtual Forums and the World Future Energy Summit Webinars. Over 70 speakers from around the world will feature.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE's minister of industry and advanced technology and special envoy for climate change and chairman of Masdar, said, ?Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week embodies the United Arab Emirate?s proactive and forward-thinking approach to climate change and sustainability and underlines the UAE?s role as a responsible, solutions oriented global citizen, enabling dialogue to be turned into action.?
In addition to many other speakers, the one-day virtual ADSW Summit will feature: H.R.H Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, founder and CEO of KBW Ventures; H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, managing director and group CEO of Mubadala Investment Company; H.E. Grace Fu, minister for sustainability and the environment of the Republic of Singapore; H.E. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, founder and CEO of Kalimat Publishing Group; H.E. Eng. Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Energy; Francesco La Camera, director general at IRENA; Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of UN-Habitat; Noel Quinn, group CEO of HSBC Holdings; Laurence Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock; and Dr. Lucas Joppa, chief environmental officer at Microsoft.
Taking place virtually on Tuesday 19 January, Masdar will host the ADSW Summit which will, over three two-hour sessions, focus on the pillars of ?Live & Move,? ?Care & Engage,? and ?Work & Invest,? with each pillar exploring social, economic and technological opportunities to achieve a green recovery post COVID-19.
H.E. Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, minister of state and chairman of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), commented, ?The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is a testament and extension of ADGM?s commitment towards fulfilling the UAE and Abu Dhabi?s vision of an innovative, sustainable, and knowledge-based economy. At ADGM, we will continue to work closely with partners to double-down on efforts and knowledge-sharing, such as the annual Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, to accelerate sustainable financing and innovative activities that boost robust economic development and growth in the UAE, and support the wider region.?
H.E. Eng. Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Energy said, ?The social and economic challenges posed by Covid-19 have emphasised the need to act collectively to push the sustainability agenda and scale up the green transition as an engine for a healthy recovery. Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is an ideal platform to deploy the strength of the global community as it brings together world leaders and industry experts to discuss the most pressing issues that impact our environment and sustainable growth.?
Francesco La Camera, director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency, stated, ?The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause unprecedented levels of disruption to lives all over the world. But the recovery period offers energy policy makers and the investment community a moment to realign their decisions and actions with sustainable growth, economic resilience, and shared prosperity. The IRENA Assembly and Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week represent a starting point for a year that we must come to define as pivotal in our pursuit of a sustainable future.?
The 2020 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week hosted around 45,000 attendees from 170 countries, with more than 500 speakers from around the world. As the first global event in the UAE?s Golden Jubilee year, ADSW 2021 will help galvanise further collaboration among government, business and community stakeholders to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
To ensure the safety of all participants, ADSW 2021 and all related high-level events will take place virtually. The physical programme of ADSW will return in 2022. Register now for the ADSW Summit here.
