Oil Rich Gulf States Say They Can Inspire Sustainable Development Globally

Abu Dhabi, Jan 23, 2014; The Gulf states can use their prosperity and the opportunity to be early adopters of potentially transformative sustainable technologies to accelerate the adoption of renewable energies and sustainable development internationally, delegates at the closing conference session of the 7th World Future Energy Summit (WFES) and 2nd International Water Summit (IWS) in Abu Dhabi heard yesterday.

The 2014 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, anchored by the 7th World Future Energy Summit and including the 2nd International Water Summit, both hosted by Masdar, ended having received an estimated 30,000 attendees from 172 countries.

Moderated by Frank Wouters, Deputy Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the final day's final conference session invited a panel of industry experts to forecast future efforts to manage world energy and water demand sustainably.

"Neither our water nor our energy can be considered cheap anymore," said HE Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Director of Energy and Climate Change at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the First Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA.

Opening the session, Dr Al Zeyoudi remarked that a significant increase in the price of natural gas in the GCC had made water costlier too, which could limit economic growth if left unchecked. But the region was "starting to see a cultural change" as forums such as WFES and IWS continue to raise awareness of water and energy challenges and the action needed to address them.

Eicke Weber, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy, applauded the initiative of Abu Dhabi in bringing the issues of water and energy together during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, and highlighted returning confidence in the global solar panel industry as demand catches up with supply.

"Things are changing," said Weber, a winner in this year's Zayed Future Energy Prize. "We are standing in front of the second gold rush - in photovoltaics."

"The link [in the Gulf region] between water and energy is very strong," added Dr Mahmoud Dawoud, Water Resources Advisor at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), noting that 30-40% of energy consumption in the GCC was for water production.

To tackle this problem, the emirate of Abu Dhabi was exploring the potential of solar-powered water desalination and projects to reclaim waste water, he said.

Fellow panelist Samantha Smith, Director at the WWF, said that the effects of climate change were unavoidably linked to the challenges of water, energy and food.

"If we don't do something about climate change all of these issues will become much harder to solve," she warned.

Despite their reliance on fossil fuels, the Gulf states had the resources and the institutions to address sustainability challenges, Smith argued, while the accelerated adoption of renewable energies was one avenue to address the region's youth unemployment.

Besides the technical constraints, Gulf states should think about how to develop and capture the benefits of being one of the first places in the world to introduce sustainable solutions on a large scale, she said.

The World Bank chose the final conference session of this year's WFES and IWS to formally launch its Thirsty Energy initiative, a global campaign to encourage best practice in addressing water and energy challenges and to encourage more involvement from the private sector.

"The long term future of energy and water is fundamental to addressing poverty," said William Rex, Lead Water Resources Specialist at the World Bank's Water Unit, adding that it was time "to move from insights to action".

"I've been hugely impressed by the products and services on show [in Abu Dhabi] this week," he said.

Altogether this year's WFES and IWS, held from January 20-22 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, received more than 800 exhibitors, hosted more than 200 speakers and unveiled hundreds of new products and technologies. The inaugural EcoWASTE exhibition, also hosted by Masdar, was held alongside both Summits.

The three events were the main part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, an annual platform that addresses the interconnected challenges impacting the widespread adoption of renewable energy and the acceleration of sustainable development.

"The mood at ADSW this year has been notably upbeat and many analysts are confident that the rate of deployment of sustainable technologies globally will beat earlier predictions," said Naji El Haddad, WFES Show Director.

"The MENA region is now actively implementing plans, policies and investments to sustainably manage water and energy demand, here and abroad, and both WFES and IWS have again this year made a significant contribution to building commercial opportunities and sharing knowledge and expertise."

About Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW)

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is an annual platform that addresses the interconnected challenges impacting the widespread adoption of renewable energy and the acceleration of sustainable development. It is the largest gathering on sustainability in the Middle East, which this year will attract more than 30,000 attendees from 172 countries. For more information, visit www.abudhabisustainabilityweek.com

About Masdar

Masdar is Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of clean energy technologies and solutions. The company serves as a link between today's fossil fuel economy and the energy economy of the future. Wholly owned by the Mubadala Development Company PJSC, the strategic investment company of the Government of Abu Dhabi, Masdar is dedicated to the Emirate's long-term vision for the future of energy. For more information, visit www.masdar.ae.

About World Future Energy Summit (WFES)

Held under the patronage of H.H General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the 7th edition of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) runs from 20-22 January 2014 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre with the theme of 'Powering the Future of Energy Innovation and Investment'.

Since its inception in 2008, WFES has grown to become the leading discussion platform for renewable energy, clean technology and sustainability, and it is now considered the preeminent international event for government and industry decision makers to find viable, sustainable solutions to the world's growing energy challenges.

Hosted by Masdar, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company, WFES 2014 is the centrepiece of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the largest ever gathering on sustainability in the Middle East. The event comprises a world-class conference that offers an unparalleled forum for political, business and intellectual debate and a large-scale exhibition which facilitates networking and transactions between manufacturers, suppliers and customers across both the public and private sectors.

Organised by Reed Exhibitions, WFES 2014 is co-located with 2nd International Water Summit (www.iwsabudhabi.com) and the first EcoWASTE exhibition (www.ecowaste.ae). For more information, visit www.worldfutureenergysummit.com.