Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), hosted from 15 to 19 January, concluded earlier this week.
The event saw global leaders, including heads of state, policymakers, and international business leaders attend, as the UAE aims to take the agenda of global sustainability forward and accelerate pathways to net zero.
Hosted by Masdar, ADSW 2022 was the first major sustainability event after the COP26 climate change conference, and with its successful conclusion, it has acted as a global catalyst for COP27, which will be held in Egypt in 2022, and COP28, which will be hosted by the UAE in 2023.
The opening event was attended by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, who said: "Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week lays a pathway for COP28 when the UAE will welcome the world in 2023. The continued success of ADSW, which every year sets the sustainability agenda for the year to come, fully reflects our nation’s leadership in the field of climate action. This year’s convening of ADSW as part of Expo 2020 Dubai provides an opportunity for the convergence of global expertise to stimulate constructive dialogue and push efforts towards implementing innovative solutions."
Key ADSW dates included: January 15-16 – IRENA Assembly; January 17 – Opening Ceremony and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, ADSW Summit; January 17-19 – World Future Energy Summit, Innovate, Youth 4 Sustainability Hub; January 18-19 Atlantic Council Forums; January 18 WiSER Forum, Exclusive Panel Session with the President of COP26 and 27 and Dr. Sultan Al Jaber; January 19 – Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum.
During ADSW, Masdar City’s global initiative, Innovate, hosted an exhibition showcasing groundbreaking technologies from 20 international startups and SMEs, focusing on the areas of urban mobility, clean energy, agritech, food security, and artificial intelligence.
The Innovate program also presented a series of six virtual panels featuring industry experts and innovators to discuss critical climate topics including, ‘The future of innovation in clean energy’, ‘Reaching Net-Zero using artificial intelligence’, ‘The future of urban sustainability’, ‘The future of water security’, and ‘The future of agritech and food security’. A session on women leading the region to a sustainable future was moderated by Microsoft for Startups , and a Youth 4 Sustainability Ecothon showcase also took p.
Held annually since 2008, ADSW has become one of the latest sustainability platforms in the world, with more than 45,000 people from 175 countries participating in ADSW 2020.
As one of the largest gatherings concerned with discussing sustainability issues, ADSW provides a global platform for cooperation, knowledge exchange, investment and innovation.
