ADSW is fostering potentially planet-saving innovations

▶ The UAE’s commitment to sustainable problem-solving will echo around the world

This country’s commitment to “sustainable practices” and “reducing its environment footprint” is not a recent undertaking. As Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, told last year’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), it is a foundational principle of this country. ADSW has emerged as a leading forum for the exchange of ideas and solutions in the pursuit of sustainable development. This year’s session has drawn experts from virtually every corner of the world; there will be innovations down the years that will be traceable to this year’s gathering. Subjects that have long been neglected have been thrown into sharp relief. The International Water Summit yesterday addressed water security. Diminishing water resources, one of the most overlooked topics in discussions about climate change, is perhaps the greatest threat facing tens of millions of people in Africa, south Asia and the Middle East. As freshwater becomes scarce, competition for what remains intensifies and the possibility of conflict grows. Averting such a crisis ought to be a top priority for policymakers everywhere. Three researchers were awarded a grant of $5 million for their work on rain enhancement. The trio are professor Eric Frew of the University of Colarado, who is researching the use of drones to seed clouds; Dr Lulin Xue of Beijing’s HuaXin ChuangZhi Science and Technology Centre, who is trying to broaden our understanding of rain enhancement; and professor Ali Abhashev of the Rain Suppression Research Centre in Nalchik, Russia, who is studying the creation of artificial updrafts in crowds. They will now collaborate and share their research with global institutions. By rewarding and empowering researchers, ADSW is accelerating the search for workable solutions. In this quest, as Sheikh Mohammed said last year, sustainability week and the UAE are honouring the “legacy of promoting sustainability left behind by the late Sheikh Zayed”.