World Green Economy Summit 2025 Dubai

Progress celebrated since first summit in 2014

The World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2016, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is set to open tomorrow (05 October 2016) at Dubai International Convention and Exhibitions Centre in New Za’abeel Hall 6. The 2016 Summit marks the third edition of the Summit, the leading platform for sustainability and the green economy.

The Summit’s opening ceremony will present a comprehensive update on the implementation and achievements of the previous Dubai Declaration, pave the way for the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and outline the expected contributions of WGES 2016. Throughout the two-day event, delegates in the field of green economy will collaborate on topics that are on the top of the global agenda, including renewable energy, green funding, innovation, smart technology and cities, and more.  The Summit will also host a plenary session titled “The Road to COP22 in Marrakech: Bringing the Paris deal from agreement to action”, expected to establish the foundations for further progress in climate change mitigation to be made.

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, and Chairman of WGES, commented on the progress made thus far:

“Under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the UAE’s 2021 Vision stipulates six priorities areas, among which achieving sustainable development in parallel to economic and social development is key. The green economy forms a core pillar of this priority area, and requires collaboration between top decision-makers and experts in the public and private sector. To this end, the World Green Economy Summit, which aims to make Dubai the Global Capital of the Green Economy, has established itself as the leading platform for environmental and economic development, which falls directly in line with the UAE’s efforts to achieve this vision.”

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer added:

“Such progress in a two-year time frame is considerable, and has set the stage for even greater success via the WGES summits. With this in mind, WGES 2016 aims to achieve strategic objectives that complement the key commitments contained in Dubai Declaration: to help promote Dubai’s position as a global capital of green economy and sustainable development; to raise the profile of key issues such as Clean Energy, The Green Fund and the development of a dedicated Green Business Zone; and to maintain WGES as the premier international platform for Green Economy. With the guidance of its wide leadership, the UAE has already achieved many milestones in its mission to driving the global green economy – and through the WGES platform and other initiatives, it is clear that the path to make Dubai the capital of this economy is not only achievable, but within reach.” 

Among the objectives for WGES’ 2014 inauguration was to define the elements of green economy and lay the foundations for long-term success. The Dubai Declaration was announced at the Summit’s conclusion with this in mind – a series of commitments with various components, adapted further after each summit, and which continues to be delivered against. Dubai has since supported top international organizations in the Road to Paris, the process for which was actually initiated at WGES 2014, continued at WGES 2015, and concluded at COP 21 with the historic signing of the Paris Climate Agreement with the UAE’s key contributions. Further, innovation was put at the forefront of all activities in the Declaration, and various initiatives have subsequently launched, including smart apps, the implementation of electric vehicles in Dubai, and the announcement of Dubai as the host of the Solar Decathlon in 2018 and 2020, the latter coinciding with Dubai World Expo. Finally, the Declaration stipulated that a plan be drawn out to establish a public-private partnership platform (PPP) to facilitate matchmaking relevant to green economy, which has been achieved, and that an annual report on the green economy to showcase and track Dubai’s progress be published, for which the third edition is currently in the pipeline.

For the 2015 summit, the goal was to build upon common commitments and event outcomes – collaborating for green economy solutions, and employing bottom-up advocacy to reach a global climate deal. The second edition of the Dubai Declaration therefore, focused on three major areas. The establishment of Dubai as the international capital of the green economy remained a top priority, and following, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050. The ambitious strategy envisages every roof in the Emirate equipped with solar panels by 2030, and aims to provide 7% of Dubai’s energy from clean energy sources by 2020, 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050, by which time Dubai is planned to become the city with the lowest carbon footprint. The strategy is the first of its kind in the region, and cements the UAE’s legacy in sustainability. Additionally, global partnerships were prioritised, and Dubai’s own experiences and relationships through WGES helped guide the UAE’s essential negotiations at COP 21. Finally, green funding continued to play a critical role, and work has since been initiated on the Dubai Green Energy Fund and the development of an international green finance network, which will accelerate green projects and investments in Dubai and beyond, with more to come in WGES 2016.

WGES 2016 is hosted by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), under the umbrella of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, in collaboration with World Climate Ltd, international partners, and supported by the United Nations. The Summit runs in conjunction with the 18th session of Water, Energy & Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show 2016.