UAE initiatives do a power of good,

Abu Dhabi is firmly at the centre of exciting developments in energy sustainability

At first blush, it seems incongruous that the UAE – a country with vast fossil fuel reserves – would be at the forefront of research into, and financial support for, sustainable energy. But initiatives such as the Zayed Future Energy Prize and Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week make perfect sense. This country is young and nimble, and it has always looked ahead. The natural resources that have funded its exceptional growth since 1971 are now powering research into, and development of technologies, that will keep us at the forefront of the evolving energy industry.

First, The National congratulates the prize winners, starting with Li Junfeng, the director general of the National Centre of Climate Change Strategy Research in China, who has committed his career to finding sustainable energy solutions. Equally important are the prizes awarded to corporations and non-profits, and to schoolchildren from Kenya, Indonesia, Ireland, Bolivia and Australia, whose initiatives show that the future is, indeed, in safe hands. It is important that the Zayed Future Energy Prize casts its net widely and recognises all those who are making a positive difference in this interconnected world. With US$4 million (Dh14.7m) in prize money, it is a very significant award, and one that is essential to push forward innovation in a vital sector.

The lectures, forums, exhibitions and other events during Sustainability Week will attract tens of thousands of people, underscoring Abu Dhabi’s position at the centre of change in the energy sector. The research undertaken at the Masdar Institute, which will be bolstered by its merger with Khalifa University and the Petroleum Institute, has led to practical applications in both solar and wind energy. Masdar Clean Energy has, among many other initiatives, supported Africa’s largest photovoltaic solar plant in Mauritania, and large wind farm arrays in England and Jordan. With further funding and tangible support, these and other technologies will flourish.

This week, speakers from around the world will share insights on pressing issues including water security and environmental protection. The networks that are forged and fostered will extend across the globe, but the heart of it all will remain in Abu Dhabi. The nation that grew out of the desert on the back of oil wealth has already staked its claim to leading the world into a more sustainable future.