• 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.

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2020, the region’s largest sustainability gathering, has again achieved new milestones for attendance, participation and business deals.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, the opening ceremony at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on January 13 was attended by a number of distinguished guests, including HE Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia, who delivered the keynote address; Armen Sarkissian, President of the Republic of Armenia; HE Danny Faure, President of the Republic of Seychelles; HE Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, President of the Republic of Mali; HE Julius Maada Bio, president of the Republic of Sierra Leone; HE Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda; HE Anna Brnabić, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia; HE Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bangladesh; HE Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, also attended the opening ceremony, as well as HH Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman; HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah; HH Sheikh Suroor Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; HH Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; HH Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office; and HH Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court. 

A total of 10 heads of state and more than 160 government ministers attended the ceremony, while His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Chairman of Masdar, delivered the welcome address.

Throughout the week-long event, ADSW hosted more than 840 exhibiting companies, as well as 45,000 attendees from 170 countries, more than 500 speakers, 4,000 opening ceremony delegates and 3,000 students at Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S). 

To align more closely with the UAE Vision 2021 and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, ADSW has widened its scope beyond renewable energy since first being launched in 2008, becoming a key platform for the Women in Sustainability Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) Forum and Y4S, which was held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan The Festival at Masdar City was also a runaway success, with the city’s newest attraction, Central Park, proving popular with families. 

The newest platform launched at ADSW 2020 was the Smart Cities Expo & Forum, which brought forward-thinking governments and municipalities together with pioneers in smart infrastructure, future transportation and next-generation building technology to develop the potential of connected communities – from sustainable planning to smart mobility.
The second edition of the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum (ADSFF) also continued the momentum generated by last year’s event, with ADSFF 2020 highlighting the latest progress in Abu Dhabi’s Sustainable Finance Agenda, as well as promoting the second edition of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, and revealing new UAE Sustainable Finance Principles.

Key to the event’s success in 2020 was the closer involvement of ADSW’s sponsors, partners and stakeholders, including the Department of Energy Abu Dhabi, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Abu Dhabi Power Corporation, Mubadala Investment Company, and Abu Dhabi Global Market.