Dubai, UAE – The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (Dubai Carbon) today, launched the State of Green Economy Report 2019, at the Etihad Museum. Prepared under the patronage of Dubai Electricity & Water Authority as a platform to showcase the efforts of key players in the area of green economy, the report is the product of the annual World Green Economy Summit (WGES), and captures key content from the Summit, endorsed by the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO).

The State of Green Economy Report 2019 includes eight chapters on green economy development, under the theme ‘Year of Zayed’. It showcases the efforts of different entities in the areas of green economy, with the common perspective of following the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed, Founding Father of the country.  The chapters cover several topics, such as the World Green Economy Summit (WGES), Blockchain & Technology, Legacy and Future, Visionary & Leadership, Climate Future Adaptation, Mobility & Transportation, Knowledge & Capacity Building and Youth & Happiness.

“Today, under the theme ‘Year of Zayed’, we launch the State of Green Economy Report 2019, which reviews the endeavours and success stories contributing to the vision of our nation’s Founding Father the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This vision, carried over by our wise leadership, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is to promote sustainable development and green economy in the UAE, while planning for the future and achieving the objectives set forth in the UAE Centennial 2071 to ensure a better life for future generations, and to strive for the UAE to become the best country in the world.

Owing to the beliefs and principles outlined by our nation’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, sustainability and environmental conservation have become an integral part of today’s UAE. The late Sheikh Zayed’s profound wisdom has shaped the UAE’s path to sustainability and ingrained the belief that it is indeed a global priority.

Under the guidance of our wise leadership, the prioritisation of sustainability has continued as the government of the UAE aims to ensure sustainable economic and social development, while preserving the environment.

Visions and strategies at a federal and local level, such as the UAE Vision 2021, the UAE Green Growth Strategy under the theme ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development,’ and the Dubai Plan 2021, focus on preserving natural resources, developing technological solutions and implementing green growth plans.  All these, in turn, contribute to achieving the global development goals – the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

“After another successful year of development, improvement and growth, Dubai has continued to strive towards its aim of becoming a global green economy hub, a model for green innovation, partnerships and financing and a global leader for energy efficiency and security, renewable energy investment and demand side management, all in line with achieving the objectives outlined by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.

The fifth State of Green Economy Report 2019 is the result of the joint efforts of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (Dubai Carbon). The landmark fifth anniversary edition of the report is dedicated to the ‘Year of Zayed’, celebrating the wisdom, leadership and noble values of the UAE’s visionary founder. The report is an annual platform to review the efforts of key players in green economy whilst summarising the results of the World Green Economy Summit (WGES) that is supported by the World Green Economy Organization” added Al Tayer.

Al Tayer continued; “As the Late Sheikh Zayed once said, “History is a continuous chain of events. The present is only an extension of the past.” The World Green Economy Summit 2018 theme ‘Driving innovation, leading change’, perfectly encapsulates these wise words. The World Green Economy Summit 2018 focused on three main pillars: Green Capital, Digital Transformation and Leadership & Social Engagement. Regarding green capital, as a key milestone here I would like to highlight a partnership agreement between the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), signed in October 2018 in Dubai to fast-track green investments into bankable smart city projects.

As for Digital Transformation, I would like to highlight the success of Digital DEWA, the digital arm of DEWA which is redefining the concept of utilities. Moreover, during the Summit, we launched E-Sayyara – a community awareness campaign promoting electric vehicles.

The role of leadership is vital in accelerating the process of transitioning to a green economy. So is the role of partnerships. This summit was indeed significant as it set in motion the adoption and signature of the agreement establishing the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO) as a fully-independent international organisation formed by treaty. WGEO’s mission is to facilitate public and private sector partnerships, promoting international cooperation and knowledge-sharing towards increased adoption of green economy”.

“The State of Green Economy Report 2019, under the theme ‘Year of Zayed’ is comprised of four sections, honouring the values the late Sheikh Zayed was known for – Wisdom, Respect, Sustainability and Human Development. The report gathers achievements and milestones within the green economy, showcasing different entities, including DEWA, Dubai Future Foundation, Smart Dubai and MoCCAE, and individuals from across a variety of sectors who all share the commitment to sustainability just as the late Sheikh Zayed.

Each chapter is opened by a Green Economy champion, providing a thought leadership piece as an introduction to the wider chapter. The report reviews the role of key technological advancements such as blockchain and cryptocurrency and their role in accelerating the UAE’s pace to the next stages of green economy leadership. Furthermore, it highlights the development of policies to promote the green economy agenda in the UAE and address the effects of climate change. The report also discusses key clean energy initiatives, namely The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and the nuclear energy power plant Barakah. An entire chapter is dedicated to sustainable transport to showcase UAE’s achievements and future projects in the area of smart transportation. Last but not least, the report highlights knowledge- and capacity-building initiatives to empower our women and youth to become future change makers and drivers of sustainability” concluded Al Tayer.

“The successes and experiences shown in this report, serve as motivation to continue to work together and develop more sustainable environment in the UAE. We have seen how the green economy can accelerate growth, as well as add positive changes to the society in the long term. The report aims to encourage the UAE to mobilise efforts towards sustainable development, and help citizens to contribute to achieving environmental sustainability. We are confident that the State of Green Economy Report 2019, will provide many opportunities for businesses to contribute to the green economy.” said Waleed Salman, Chairman of Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence.

The report highlights major green initiatives and investments, and is sponsored and supported by key players in various energy sectors, notably DEWA, ENOC, Empower, ENGIE and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to name a few.

Authored by experts and entity representatives, who serve as focal points for questions from the readers, the annual report is available to the public digitally via xxxxx.