The 2019 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week successfully concluded on January 19, with the region’s largest sustainability gathering once again achieving new milestones for attendance, participation and business deals.

To align more closely with the UAE Vision 2021 and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, ADSW 2019 took place under the theme “Industry Convergence: Advancing Sustainable Development” and on the six pillars of Energy & Climate Change, Water, Future Mobility, Space, Biotechnology and Tech for Good.

An estimated US$11 billion in project announcements and business partnerships were announced during the week, with a focus on opportunities in India.

Underlining the key role played by youth and entrepreneurship, two dozen clean-tech startups participating in the Climate Innovation Exchange (CLIX) also received investment pledges of US$53.9 million, more than double the amount committed at its first event last year. CLIX is hosted by the World Future Energy Summit, the anchor exhibition of ADSW, and supported by the Ministry of Climate Change & Environment.

No fewer than 13 heads of state attended ADSW 2019, which began with the general assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) from January 12-13 and concluded with the two-day Festival at Masdar City.

With 2019 declared the ‘Year of Tolerance’ in the UAE, ADSW provided a unique opportunity to promote the country’s inherent values of tolerance, acceptance and understanding, while carrying forward the late Sheikh Zayed’s rich legacy of inclusion.

By bringing 38,000 people together from 175 countries, representing a diversity of cultures and backgrounds, ADSW 2019 helped reinforce the UAE’s position as a haven of tolerance and a hub for opportunity and creativity.

Reflecting the critical importance of the developing world in mitigating climate change, ADSW this year welcomed the heads of state of Angola, Armenia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Montenegro, Namibia, Samoa and Tuvalu. IRENA bid farewell to its outgoing director general Adnan Amin, while welcoming his successor Francesco La Camera.

The President of China, Xi Jinping, was also represented by His Excellency Yang Jiechi, Special Envoy and Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, witnessed the Official Opening Ceremony of ADSW on January 14, together with the Awards Ceremony of the Zayed Sustainability Prize.

In keeping with the expanded mandate of ADSW beyond renewable energy, the Prize honoured winners in the five categories of health, food, water, energy and global high schools.
Since awarding the prize for the first time in 2009, its winners have had a direct and indirect impact on the lives of more than 307 million people around the world and have been able to contribute significantly towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions to 1 billion tons. They have also saved 1.2 billion megawatts of clean energy, while expanding access to energy to 27.5 million people in some of the poorest communities in Africa and Asia.

Now established as one of the world’s largest sustainability gatherings, ADSW hosted more than 850 exhibiting companies from 40 countries this year, as well as 180 government ministers and 300 conference speakers.

ADSW also welcomed several new and high-profile additions to its week-long programme, including the Future Sustainability Summit, the inaugural Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, hosted by Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and the WiSER Forum, a Masdar-led initiative dedicated to the advancement of women in the sustainability sector.

The Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum witnessed ADGM launch the Abu Dhabi Declaration on Sustainable Finance to position the MENA region as a hub for investment into the sector. The announcement was well timed with Saudi Arabia energy minister Khaled Al Falih announcing at ADSW that the Kingdom intends to deliver as much as 60 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030.

Once again, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (‘Masdar’) was proud to host Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. This year’s event coincided with a number of key business announcements, including the selection of the consortium led by EDF Renewables and Masdar to develop Saudi Arabia’s and the region’s largest wind energy project, the 400-megawatt Dumat Al Jandal wind farm.

Masdar also announced its entry into North America, with the acquisition of a stake in two wind projects in Texas and New Mexico, a strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Power Corporation and Mubadala Investment Company related to new power and water infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, and the unveiling of the third cycle of development under the US$50 million Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund, the largest clean energy initiative in the Caribbean.

• Aim of the Sustainability Bus tour is to encourage sustainable activities in local communities and raise awareness of ADSW 2020, one of the world’s largest sustainability gatherings that takes place from January 11-18
• The all-electric bus will tour the UAE’s seven emirates from November 28

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; November 26 2019: Masdar, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company and host of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), has launched an eco-bus initiative that will tour the United Arab Emirates to raise awareness about the world’s largest sustainability gathering in January.

In partnership with Abu Dhabi Power Corporation and Hafilat Industry LLC, the Sustainability Bus will travel to key locations across all seven emirates to educate local communities about sustainability and climate change.

“This campaign is a great opportunity to engage local communities across all the seven emirates of the UAE to raise awareness about ADSW’s commitment to sustainable development,” said Dr Lamya Nawaf Fawwaz, Executive Director for Brand & Strategic Initiatives at Masdar. “Furthermore, it will highlight the UAE’s pledge to deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Masdar’s mission to advance renewable energy and clean technologies around the world over the past 13 years.”

“Through the Sustainability Bus, our aim is to get everyone in the UAE on board our sustainability journey with a range of activities and educational workshops to enable them to play their part in addressing climate change, whether that is through recycling, reducing their consumption of power and water, or using public transport more often,” Dr Fawwaz added.

Visitors to the Sustainability Bus will be introduced to Masdar and its strategic platforms Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and Youth 4 Sustainability. They will also learn how they can make a difference in helping to mitigate climate change at home, such as by recycling and using more energy-efficient appliances. Interactive workshops will also be offered to children.   

The all-electric Sustainability Bus will visit every emirate in the UAE for a full weekend (Thursday to Saturday) from November 28. The tour starts at Al Rumailah, in Fujairah (November 28-30), before visiting Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah (December 5-7), Kite Beach in Um Al Quwain (December 12-14), Ajman (December 19-21), Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah (December 26-28), Dubai City Walk (January 2-4), and Abu Dhabi Corniche, East Plaza (January 9-11). The bus will end its journey at The Festival at Masdar City from January 16-18.

When launched at ADSW 2018, the Sustainability Bus was the first fully electric passenger bus in the region and served passengers on a number of routes in Abu Dhabi.

Launched in partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT), Abu Dhabi-based manufacturer Hafilat Industry LLC, and electric motors maker Siemens Middle East, the bus has been designed to withstand the heat and humidity of the UAE climate. It has a lightweight aluminium body and a unique water-cooling system to optimise battery life and efficiency, even when the outdoor temperature is at its highest. The vehicle also has a highly energy-efficient on-board air-conditioning system.

Since its inception in 2008, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) has grown into one of the world’s largest sustainability gatherings, attracting a unique mix of policymakers, industry experts, technology pioneers and the next generation of sustainability leaders. 

A manifestation of the UAE’s proactive, forward-thinking approach to sustainability and its commitment to furthering our understanding of the major social, economic and technology trends shaping the world today, ADSW is committed to the sharing of knowledge, the implementation of strategies and the delivery of real-world solutions that drive human progress.

As Masdar prepares to host Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020 from January 11-18, advances in technology and artificial intelligence – and the impact they have had on driving global sustainable development – will be in the spotlight at The Future Sustainability Summit.

As the anchor event of ADSW, the Future Sustainability Summit is a platform for engaging, thought-provoking discussions on the global sustainability agenda and how advancements in artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things (IoT) can accelerate sustainable development in the energy, climate change, water, mobility, space, health, and biotechnology sectors. 

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week also features the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) General Assembly, the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum, the World Future Energy Summit, the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards. The week also offers events dedicated to  women, youth and all segments of society, such as the Youth 4 Sustainability initiative, Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER), and The Festival at Masdar City.