Dubai plans for World Green Economy Summit in October

WGES 2017 expected to attract 3,000 participants

DUBAI, UAE, June 10: The organising committee of the fourth World Green Economy Summit ‘WGES 2017’, which will be held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), and the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO) in collaboration with global partners, has announced that ‘WGES 2017’ will be held on Oct 24-25 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The fourth edition of WGES will be held under the theme ‘Driving innovation, Leading change’. The summit will adopt innovation as its main theme, since it plays a pivotal role to boost sustainable development solutions which thereby lead the change to a green economy.

WGES 2017 is expected to attract more than 3,000 participants making it the largest in the MENA region. The summit will be held in conjunction with the 19th edition of Water, Energy, Technology and Energy Exhibition ‘WETEX 2017’ and the 2nd edition of ‘Dubai Solar Show 2017’, as part of the Green Week activities in Dubai.

“In line with UAE Green Development Strategy launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Ruler of Dubai to build green economy in the UAE under the theme “Green Economy For Sustainable Development”, and inspired by a quote of His Highness, who said ‘Innovation is not an intellectual luxury or propaganda but the secret behind the

Saeed Mohammed Al-Tayer

government’s existence’, DEWA organises the World Green Economy Summit (WGES 2017), in collaboration with the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO), which was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in October 2016 and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). WGEO’s main role is to reduce the investment risks in the green economy sector, as well as support the global collaboration. WGEO operates through seven platforms - countries, smart & sustainable cities sector, private sector, academia, organisations and civil society, youth sector and financial sector,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, and Chairman of WGES.

“The World Green Economy Organisation has a pivotal role in tackling climate change and finding innovative solutions for sustainable energy, water and environmental challenges. This role integrates with WGES efforts as well as Dubai’s instrumental role

to enhance and implement the principles of green economy, as part of our wise leadership vision, and to reconfirm the Emirate’s leading position as a global hub for finance, business, tourism and innovation,” added HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

“We are responsible to maintain and increase the success of the previous three editions of WGES, to reconfirm once more that Dubai is the world’s capital of green economy,” concluded Al Tayer.

Over two days, the Summit will discuss varied new technologies and solutions that will not only provide renewable and alternative resources of energy, but also offer several ways to tap productive and eco-friendly technologies. The Summit will witness participation of top-notch experts in various sectors such as administrations, partnerships, financing, innovation, and global markets. WGES 2017 is a world leading event focusing on green economy globally. The Summit aims to create sustainable future for humanity, and aims to adapt a shift to a greener economy.

WGES attracts thousands of

participants including decision makers, green economy pioneers, CEOs from public and private sectors, governmental officials and green economy experts. This year, the Summit will focus on supporting partnerships and collaboration between governments and organisations from public and private sectors.

The fourth cycle of WGES is timely, particularly as the world is facing the threat of climate change and the increasing need to move to green economy. WGES 2017 shares the same values with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Paris Climate Agreement 2015, COP22 in Marrakech, the upcoming COP23 in Bonn and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.Supported by many international organisations such as The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), WGES aims to create a sustainable future for the current and future generations.