OPEN MINDS
UAE’s paving way for greater cooperation and smarter future with partnerships and summits
TRate at which the global demand for water has been increasing per year over the past decades
Industrial and domestic demand for water will increase much faster than agricultural demand in coming years.
The global water cycle is intensifying due to climate change, with wetter regions generally becoming wetter and drier regions becoming even drier.
Other global changes such as urbanisation, deforestation, intensification of agriculture are also straining water reserves.
Currently, water management remains dominated by traditional, human built infrastructure
However, there is enormous potential for nature-based solutions, or NBS
NBS includes green infrastructure (such as protection of mangroves) that can substitute, augment or work with traditional infrastructure
The goal is to find the most appropriate blend of green and traditional investments to maximise benefits and efficiency while minimising costs. he leadership has enabled the UAE to meet its responsibilities and anticipate the future.
It has also enabled the country to become an international pioneer, diversify its resources, and employ the tools and technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to confront future challenges and achieve success.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has announced that hosting the Global Future Councils in the UAE is based on the country’s belief that creating the future begins today. He has also stressed that immediate goals can only be achieved through global humanitarian partnerships and by giving a common platform to all leading scientists, futurists and experts, we can be assured that issues are fully understood and efforts are made to resolve them.
The United Nations believes in the commitment of the UAE’s leadership to implement and spread the message of giving, as well as the country’s institutional capability to realise its goals through relevant executive programmes.
One such initiative is the third Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils that was held in Dubai in collaboration between the UAE government and the World Economic Forum. The meetings brought together more than 700 scientists, futurists and experts, grouped in 38 expertise-based, thematic councils that discussed the future of vital sectors and developed practical solutions to challenging issues.
The aim of the Global Future Councils is to foresee the future of international strategic sectors that include electronic security and technology, innovation, education and health. The forum also discussed the UAE’s experience in digital and qualitative data, and its capability to lead and work towards futuristic solutions for advanced energy, water, transport and space, as well as leading expertise in trade, investment, tourism and culture.
The UAE’s capacity to host global summits that aim to anticipate the events of the future and its sense of responsibility for all Arabs has enabled it to increase efficiencies, make advancements and develop.
Since the launch of the first edition of the Global Future Councils, preparations have been made for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the platform, which was launched to prepare the Arab world for this revolution, aims to promote the exchange of knowledge and expertise between Arab governments, and become a centre for cooperation and the creation of future Arab policies and programmes.
The platform was described by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed as the core of the UAE’s government work culture, and the foundation of developing the country’s tools and strategies, which will benefit its people and social development. WRITE TO US AT