President of Costa Rica to speak during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
10 JAN 2017
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; January 10, 2017 – His Excellency Luis Guillermo Solis, President of the Republic of Costa Rica, will discuss the future of sustainable development and reflect on his nation’s success in adopting renewable energy during a presidential address during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2017.
Costa Rica achieved a historic milestone when its electricity grid ran solely on renewable energy for more than 250 days in 2016, with a continuous 110-day stretch from 17 June until 6 October. This was the second time in two years that the country had been powered by renewable energy continuously for at least two months.
In a recorded address in advance of his attendance at ADSW, President Solis said: “Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is a true global forum that connects cultures, geographies and philosophical concepts. This creates strong synergies among political leaders, policy makers, business people and society as a whole in order to address today’s challenges in renewable energy and sustainable development. This is a key component of growth, the creation of job opportunities and the improvement of living conditions for younger generations.”
The Republic of Costa Rica has long been an advocate of renewable energy and environmental conservation, promoting their adoption in Latin America since the establishment of its geothermal laws in December 1976. The laws, which authorised the exploration of geothermal energy sources, were among the very first to drive the need for clean energy in the region.
Renewable energy sources supply 98 per cent of Costa Rica’s electricity demand, according to the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, the country’s state-owned utilities provider. More than 80 per cent of Costa Rica’s energy mix is comprised of hydroelectric power, with geothermal, wind and solar energy making up the rest.
Geothermal energy has the smallest greenhouse gas footprint per kilowatt of any power generation technology, according to the Geothermal Energy Association. With a string of hotspots, mountains and active volcanoes identified in Costa Rica, and the greater Latin America region, geothermal can play a critical role in delivering a clean, limitless and continual supply of energy in the country.
Home to Central America’s largest hydroelectric power project, the 305.5-megawatt (MW) Reventazón Dam, Costa Rica has a total renewable energy capacity of 2.5 gigawatts, according to the latest figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), headquartered in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.
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07 JAN 2021
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Energy to support Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week as Principal Partner
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
11 MAR 2021
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week releases the first of three white papers capturing the key takeaways of the 2021 ADSW Summit
Today Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week has released the first of a three part white paper series, which will capture the key takeaways from the 2021 ADSW Summit.
The ADSW Summit, the flagship event of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, featured more than 90 global leaders from around the world and ran over three sessions focusing on the pillars of “Live & Move,” “Care & Engage,” and “Work & Invest,” with each pillar exploring social, economic and technological opportunities for delivering a green recovery.
Each white paper will feature insights and quotes from global leaders across government, business and industry. To watch sessions from the ADSW Summit, please visit the ADSW YouTube channel
The "Live & Move" white paper examines how societies need to adapt to mitigate global challenges from climate change and the opportunities for delivering a green recovery post-COVID-19.
Download the white paper here.
09 OCT 2021
ABU DHABI SUSTAINABILITY WEEK LAUNCHES COLLABORATION WITH EXPO 2020 DUBAI
- Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Opening Ceremony and Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony will take place at Expo on Monday January 17, 2022
- All other Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week events will take place in Abu Dhabi or will be hosted virtually
- Announcement took place during Expo 2020’s Climate and Biodiversity Week
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; October 9, 2021: Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), the global platform for accelerating sustainable development, hosted by Masdar, has today announced a new collaboration, which will bring elements of the Week to Expo 2020 Dubai. The ADSW Opening Ceremony and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony will take place at the Dubai Exhibition Centre on Monday 17 January 2022.
The announcement was made during Expo 2020’s Climate and Biodiversity Week (the first of 10 Theme Weeks that anchor the Programme for People and Planet) which aims to mobilise the world to take decisive action for the health of our world. Bringing ADSW’s vital platforms to Expo 2020 will further demonstrate the UAE’s leading role in driving action on climate change, at home, in the region, and throughout the world.
ADSW is one of the largest of gatherings of its kind, which welcomes each year more than 45,000 participants from more than 170 countries. The week will return between 15 – 19 January 2022 and feature a series of high-level in person and virtual events.
H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Chairman of Masdar, said: Hosting the opening of ADSW together with the ZSP award ceremony at Expo 2020 Dubai will serve to reinforce the UAE’s commitment to climate action and sustainability, as key drivers of the UAE’s progressive model for economic growth. The combination of ADSW’s experience as a convenor with Expo 2020 Dubai’s global reach will help expand partnerships, drive innovation and open up new economic opportunities. As the UAE marks 50 years of progress, with the Principles of the Fifty, sustainability will remain a cornerstone of plans for future growth, creating new knowledge, new skills, new industries and new jobs.”
The ADSW Opening Ceremony and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, will bring together more than 600 VIPs from around the world, including heads of state, government ministers, industry leaders and country ambassadors. During the Opening Ceremony, H.E. Dr Sultan Al Jaber will deliver a keynote speech.
Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “As one of our three subthemes, Sustainability is integrated across the entirety of Expo 2020 Dubai. We aim to be one of the most sustainable World Expos in history, supporting the UAE’s continued efforts to build cleaner, safer, and healthier communities for its people. As a long-standing platform for sustainability, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week has a legacy of bringing together the global community, facilitating dialogue and accelerating sustainable development. These qualities align with the aims of the Programme for People and Planet at Expo and our goal of catalysing a one-of-a-kind movement to shape the legacy that Expo 2020 leaves the world.
“For the six months of Expo 2020, the world’s gaze will be on the UAE. Holding the opening of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony at Expo 2020, when the world’s gaze is on the UAE, exemplifies how we can all work together to mitigate climate change.”
Since 2008, Abu Dhabi has provided a sustainable platform for the global community that has grown through its initiatives and events to emerge as a thought leader and catalyst that accelerates sustainable development around the world.
The week will bring together 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.
The 2022 program will include the ADSW Opening Ceremony, Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, ADSW Summit, IRENA Assembly, Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum, Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) Forum, Youth 4 Sustainability Hub, and the World Future Energy Summit – Exhibitions and Forums.
Launched at the 2008 World Future Energy Summit by H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the Zayed Sustainability Prize is a tribute to his father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his sustainability legacy.
Over 352 million people have been directly or indirectly impacted by the sustainability solutions and school projects of the 86 recipients of the Zayed Sustainability Prize winners since the first awards ceremony in 2009.
The Prize’s US$3 million annual fund rewards winners US$600,000 in each category; the Global High Schools category is split into six world region winners, with each school able to claim up to US$100,000 to start or further expand their project. The six world regions of the Global High Schools category are The Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, Europe & Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific.
All ADSW events other than its Opening Ceremony and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony will take place in Abu Dhabi or will be hosted virtually.
Learn more about Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week at www.adsw.ae