Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 07, 2020: Masdar, host of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), today announced that Abu Dhabi’s Department of Energy (DoE) will support the global platform for accelerating sustainable development as ADSW’s Principal Partner. The partnership with the DoE will support ADSW’s initiatives and events, which are bringing global leaders together virtually from 18 – 21 January 2021, to engage in dialogue and take action to advance the global sustainability agenda. 

“As the entity tasked with leading the energy sector in the emirate, the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy is always present at major local and international events in search of opportunities to showcase its vision for promoting sustainability in the sector,” said DoE Undersecretary His Excellency Mohammad bin Jarsh Al Falasi. “Our participation in Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week as a key partner paves the way for the exchange of expertise, allowing us a glimpse into the latest developments from major international players in the fields of sustainability and energy. This, in turn, offers a significant boost to our efforts to create a global model for clean and renewable energy in Abu Dhabi.”

“We are delighted to partner with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Energy for the third year in a row. In 2021, ADSW will be one of the first major international events of the year and the agenda will focus on drawing up a roadmap for a green recovery,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.  “We are proud to have the continued support of the Department of Energy, which is driving Abu Dhabi’s energy transition efforts and supporting the UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050.”  

H.E. Eng. Awaidha Murshed Ali Al Marar will be highlighting the importance of sustainable water at the ADSW Summit, taking place virtually on Tuesday 19 January 2021. The Summit 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.  

As a global leader in tackling climate change, the UAE and Abu Dhabi has for over a decade, provided a platform to bring together the world’s policy makers, industry specialists, technology pioneers and the next generation of sustainability leaders to engage in dialogue and take action to advance the global sustainability agenda. ADSW has grown through its initiatives and events to emerge as a catalyst for accelerating sustainable development around the world. 

ADSW 2020 welcomed 45,000 attendees from over 170 countries, including the UAE’s leadership, 10 heads of state, 180 international ministers, and over 500 representatives from the world’s media.

To register for the ADSW Summit 2021, visit https://www.adsw.ae

• More than 180 Government Ministers and 500 business leaders convened at Opening Ceremony to address key issues defining the sustainability agenda
• More than US $15bn of business deals announced during the week, with over 850 companies showcasing their expertise during World Future Energy Summit
• Most inclusive sustainability gathering inspired youth to be future industry leaders

Abu Dhabi, January 21, 2017: Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2018, hosted by Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, came to a successful conclusion on 20 January after further cementing its role as the world’s most inclusive sustainability gathering. The event brought together more than 38,000 attendees representing 175 countries, ranging from Heads of State and leaders of industry to students and local communities.

Under the theme of ‘Driving the Global Energy Transformation’, this year’s edition of ADSW addressed key global trends which are impacting the shift to sustainable energy, including climate change, urbanisation, and digitisation. Youth were a key focus throughout the week, with a series of high profile events aimed at ensuring young people are equipped to be future sustainability leaders.

ADSW 2018 began on 13-14 January with the sixth General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency. The Opening Ceremony took place on 15 January in the presence 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. Also present were HE Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, the President of Mauritania, Danny Faure, the  President of Seychelles, and His Royal Highness Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II, Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as well 500 senior business executives from 150 countries, representing a 20% increase on 2017.

HH Sheikh Mohammed announced the focus on youth at the Opening Ceremony, and a series of youth-focused events took place throughout the week, including a dedicated Youth Panel, a Youth Circle and the Student Exclusive. This year’s Student Exclusive was held over three days, and was integrated as part of the first Climate Innovation Exchange (CLIX), in order to inspire and enthuse young people about new sustainable technologies and the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation.

As part of the World Future Energy Summit, under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, CLIX proved to be huge success, achieving its aim of providing emerging entrepreneurs with a platform to forge partnerships and secure funding from leading global investors. In total, a quarter of the 27 semi-finalists for CLIX were from the UAE, demonstrating the strong potential for home-grown entrepreneurs to help drive industry innovation.

Throughout the week of ADSW, 22 global events were held including eight exhibitions and special zones; five conferences; six leadership and policy events; and three community events. Commercial deals worth more than US$ 15 billion were announced, while more than 10,000 business meetings were organised, cementing ADSW’s reputation, both as a catalyst for clean-tech innovation and a global platform for business development and industry growth.

This was further demonstrated by the participation at ADSW of major delegations from Asia, including more than 30 companies from China, as well as strong representation from India and Japan. For the second successive year, the week also attracted strong participation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with more than 18 companies and organisations represented.

As host of ADSW, Masdar played a prominent role throughout the week, underlining its position as a global industry leader which is supporting UAE’s drive to establish a resilient, knowledge-based economy. The company’s executives announced multiple business deals and memorandums of understanding, while its experts shared their knowledge and thought leadership across the conference and event programmes.

The World Future Energy Summit (WFES), the anchor event of ADSW, celebrated its 11th edition this year from 15-18 January. This took place alongside the sixth International Water Summit which is held in strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority and the fifth EcoWaste exhibition, held in partnership with TADWEER – Centre of Waste Management, Abu Dhabi. International pavilions were hosted within the exhibitions from 20 different countries.

The tenth edition of the Awards Ceremony for the Zayed Future Energy Prize took place alongside the Opening Ceremony, honouring the achievements of winners from across the world for their leadership in renewable energy and sustainability. Once again, this important event attracted significant media attention, particularly in the countries of the nine winners.

Held for the third consecutive year, ADSW also hosted the Women in Sustainability, Environment & Renewable Energy (WiSER) conference, which advocates the role of women in building a sustainable future. To round off a very busy and successful week, the Festival at Masdar City attracted thousands of attendees to enjoy fun, food and live entertainment for the whole community.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 19, 2021: In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit got underway this morning as part of ADSW 2021, the global platform for accelerating the pace of sustainable development. Hosted by Masdar, the event is being held virtually this year due to restriction in place to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.
His Highness welcomed the leaders, officials and experts participating in the sessions of this year’s summit to discuss how to enact a ‘green recovery’ to help economies rebound from the pandemic and build a more sustainable future for all.

His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasized that the UAE is continuing its efforts under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and with the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to stimulate sustainable development, and said that ADSW is particularly relevant this year as it represents a global platform for dialogue and setting the sustainable development agenda based on the principles of the green recovery.

His Highness said: "In light of the exceptional circumstances that the world is experiencing, there is an urgent need to take practical steps and initiatives that contribute to accelerating the application of the principles and foundations of sustainable development, with the need to take proactive steps, plan for a more flexible future and strengthen capabilities in order to efficiently face the existing and emerging challenges.
“The Emirati initiatives, present to the world a practical model on the economic feasibility of renewable energy, stressing the importance of cooperation and joint work to achieve tangible progress in the field of reducing the repercussions of climate change”.

His Highness said that Abu Dhabi continues, year after year, to consolidate its position and pivotal role as a platform that brings together the international community to discuss key issues in sustainability. He said that he hoped that this year’s ADSW would be the starting point for constructive global dialogue on building a secure and stable future for current and future generations.

H.S.H. Prince Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, delivered the Summit’s keynote speech, thanked Abu Dhabi for hosting this event under these circumstances and said: “I believe the crisis we are experiencing is urging us to reinvent the ways we live, produce and travel in a more radical manner. It is urging us to rethink our relationship with nature and to reevaluate our priorities. In this respect, the coming year will be full of opportunities which we need to grasp.”

His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change and Chairman of Masdar, delivered a speech in which he welcomed the guests and participants of the Summit, praising the wise leadership's support for sustainable development.

His Excellency said that the COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call to humanity as a whole, and that it demonstrated the importance of sustainability in its broadest sense, and revealed the interdependence between health and food and resource security. His Excellency explained how efforts made by the UAE  to face the pandemic, through proactive measures enacted by the wise leadership,  focused on enhancing resource security and supporting vital supply chains.
His Excellency stressed the concept of cooperation and building bridges of dialogue and communication, noting that the country will host the Dubai Expo later this year, with sustainability and the future as the main themes of this event.
His Excellency touched on the Zayed Sustainability Prize and its role in promoting global sustainability efforts, as it has achieved a positive impact on more than 350 million people around the world. He said that the award has a special place among the UAE’s leadership because it embodies the values and principles of the founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and especially his commitment to sustainable progress. His Excellency explained that the award will return in its usual form next year, with a focus on aspects of innovation and recovery for the post-COVID period.

The ADSW Summit comprises three sessions of two hours each, and focuses on three topics: restoring the circle of life (Live & Move), enhancing responsibility and interaction (Care & Engage), and doing business and investment (Work & Invest). Each topic addresses the main issues and topics that would open the way for the many social, economic and technological opportunities to achieve a post-pandemic green recovery.
As well as the Summit, ADSW, which runs from January 18-21, hosts a series of high-level virtual activities, including the General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Abu Dhabi Forum for Sustainable Finance, and the Global Energy Forum of the Atlantic Council. the virtual forum for the "Youth for Sustainability" platform, and the World Future Energy Summit forums.

In addition to His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco; speakers at the summit include: His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Al-Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, Chairman of the Board of Directors of "KBW" Investment; His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority, Group Chief Executive Officer, and Managing Director of Mubadala Investment; Grace Fu, Minister of Sustainability and Environment of the Government of Singapore; Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), and founder and CEO of Kalimat Group; His Excellency Engineer Aweidah Morshed Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy; Francisco Lacamera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA); Maymouna Mohamed Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat; Noel Quinn, CEO of HSBC Holding Group; Lawrence Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock; And Dr Lucas Juba, CEO of Environmental Practices at Microsoft,.

Through its various initiatives and events, ADSW advances the process of exchanging knowledge, implementing strategies, and developing realistic solutions to face the challenges of sustainability and climate change. As the first major global event in 2021, the year in which the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary, the week contributes a pioneering role in enhancing cooperation between the public and private sectors in order to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Since the launch of its activities more than a decade ago, ADSW has grown to become one of the largest gatherings concerned with sustainability in the world. The 2020 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week attracted more than 45,000 participants from more than 170 countries, and saw the participation of 10 heads of state, in addition to 160 ministers and ambassadors.
To view the full program of ADSW 2021, please visit www.abudhabisustainabilityweek.com