The World Green Economy Summit (WGES), under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced the theme as ‘Galvanising Action for a Sustainable Recovery.’ This will unify regional and international endeavours and strengthen public and private sector partnerships towards achieving sustainable development. The 7th WGES will be held from 6-7 October 2021 at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) and the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO), organisers of WGES in collaboration with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), reiterated their invitation to decision-makers, investors, experts, and specialists from the government and private sectors, as well as anyone interested in the green economy and sustainable development from around the world, to attend the summit by registering on www.wges.ae
The 7th edition of WGES aims to achieve strategic objectives centred around consolidating constructive dialogue between parties committed to advancing the green economy and reviewing the latest digital platforms and international best practices in the green economy and sustainable development. WGES will also provide a venue for participants to identify critical areas for investments that support green transformation. It will also explore effective ways to achieve recommendations of the 21st and 22nd Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement, and outcomes of the last edition of WGES, including recommendations of the Dubai Declaration 2019.
Platform to Galvanise Actions
“The 7th World Green Economy Summit offers a strategic platform to unite and direct international efforts towards establishing a balance between economic growth and sustainability of natural and environmental resources. The new theme is in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to mobilise global action, strengthen international partnerships, and enhance cooperation and encourage dialogue to develop effective solutions for current and emerging challenges that hinder the transformation to a green economy. Holding the summit in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai, whose theme is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, affirms Dubai’s position as a global hub for accelerating sustainable development, encouraging quality investments in a green economy, and a catalyst for international
cooperation for global challenges, especially those related to climate change and the environment,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA and Chairman of WGES.
“The UAE’s success in facing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic is a powerful boost for us to propagate leading experiences and best practices that can bring about fundamental and positive change globally to tackle climate change and global warming. This supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for building a green economy and a sustainable future. Through these sessions, we aim to continue our support to national efforts to achieving the UAE Green Agenda 2030 and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, as well as contribute to realising the goals of the SDGs by 2030; consolidating the UAE’s position as a global hub for the green economy,” added Al Tayer.
Four Main Pillars
WGES 2021 addresses four main pillars: Youth; Innovation and Smart Technologies; Green Economy and Policies; and Green Finance. The ‘Youth’ pillar discusses empowering young people to innovate and lead countries into their sustainable future. WGES will also examine how to operationalise the outcomes of the COP26 Youth Summit in the Middle East.
The ‘Innovation and Smart Technologies’ pillar discusses ways to spark creative applications of advanced technologies to address climate challenges. Discussions in the ‘Green Economy and Policies’ pillar will focus on harnessing global momentum for effective policy frameworks to accelerate climate action, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors, and build a regional consensus ahead of COP26. The ‘Green Finance’ pillar will focus on capitalising on the boom in the Environment, Society, and Governance (ESG) finance for green growth and position the Middle East as a driver of green infrastructure and innovation.