Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO), in partnership with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), will organise the 7th World Green Economy Summit (WGES), one of the most significant green economy events worldwide. WGES will be held from 6-7 October at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo 2020 Dubai. This year’s Summit will be organised both physically and virtually to provide an opportunity for the largest number of global participants to take part in the activities.
With the theme “Galvanising action for a sustainable recovery”, WGES will feature high-profile speakers, including heads of governments, ministers, decision-makers, CEOs, and senior officials from the government, private sector and NGOs. They will discuss ways to advance the green economy and enhance cooperation in innovation, technology and green finance to support sustainable development efforts and promote partnerships between government and private sectors in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within four main themes; Youth, Innovation and New/Smart Technologies, Green Economy and Policies, and Green Finance.
Speakers at this year’s Summit include Francois Hollande, Former President of France; Mary Robinson, Former UN Special Envoy on Climate Change, and Former President of Ireland; Fredrick Reinfeldt, Former Prime Minister of Sweden; HE Ban Ki-moon, President and Chair of Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Former Secretary-General of United Nations; Ovais Sarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); HRH Princess Abze Djima, Special Envoy of the President for Resource Mobilisation for SDGs and Climate Change, Burkina Faso; and Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, together with current and former high-profile speakers from around the world.
At the UAE level, WGES speakers include HE Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; HE Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises; HE Shamma Bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth; HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA and Chairman of WGES; HE Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director-General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and Head of UAE Digital Government, HE Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, along with other officials from the government and private sectors.
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said such a large number of prominent international speakers is a testament to the Summit’s pivotal role as a global platform that promotes effective partnerships between the public and private sectors.
“The World Green Economy Summit translates the vision and directives of the wise leadership in driving the UAE’s comprehensive sustainable development. The UAE’s experience in dealing with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing to pave the way to a more sustainable future and a more robust economy has recorded an impressive success and become a role model for best practices. Through the seventh edition of the Summit, we aim to continue uniting the global community to meet the challenges facing the green economy agenda and sustainable development in light of the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic to make radical change worldwide. We look forward to strengthening our role in supporting national efforts to achieve the goals of the UAE Green Agenda 2030 and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, alongside advancing the UN SDG 2030, which is a top priority for us in strengthening the position of the UAE as the global hub for the green economy,” said Al Tayer.
“The World Green Economy Summit is one of the most important platforms for us to keep pace with the rapid developments and challenges that are happening across the world. With the theme “Galvanising action for a sustainable recovery”, the event coincides with the Expo 2020 Dubai, themed ‘Connecting minds and creating the future’, which highlights the importance of active collaboration between the government and private sectors to enhance SDGs and accelerate our transition into a green economy,” said Waleed Bin Salman, Vice Chairman of the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO).
“The 7th WGES will discuss vital topics in the different areas of green economy to promote regional climate action, and Dubai’s role as an incubator for innovation and a global hub to create new economic opportunities, as well as strengthen constructive dialogue to exchange best practices. We look forward to the pivotal role that this Summit will play in supporting projects and initiatives related to green economy and promote the role of the private sector in achieving global strategies and plans in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030,” said Abdulrahim Sultan, Director of WGEO.
“We look forward to the decisions and the strategies that we will be formulating at the Summit, in conjunction with the efforts of the government and private sector for the UAE’s sustainability agenda,” added Sultan.