Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week announced at Rio+20

An Emirati man walks in front of the stand of Masdar City at the World Future Energy Summit exhibition in Abu Dhabi on Januray 18, 2012. Photo: Karim

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The UAE has announced at the Rio+20 Earth Summit that the Abu Dhabu Sustainability Week (ADSW) will be held 13 to 17 January 2013.

ADSW will host the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), now headquartered in Abu Dhabi; the sixth World Future Energy Summit (WFES); the first International Water Summit; the International Renewable Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi (ADIREC); and the $4m Zayed Future Energy Prize award ceremony.

"Through the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, we are providing numerous platforms of dialogue that will address sustainable development. ADSW will be held in continuation of the commendable efforts of the Brazilian government at Rio+20 and in response to the UN Secretary-General's call for significant commitments to action in support of his International Year of Sustainable Energy for All," said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, assistant minister and UAE Special Envoy of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Climate Change and CEO of Masdar.

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WFES 2012 saw 26,200 attendees from 137 countries, 53 official delegations, 623 exhibitors, 153 conference speakers, and the presence of global statesmen such as Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, and Kim Kwang-Sik, Prime Minister of South Korea.

"It goes without saying that even more ambitious targets have been set for participation in the 2013 summit. Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week will further raise the profile of the UAE as a global leader in sustainability, and provide even more opportunities for investors, business leaders and policymakers alike," said Naji El Haddad, show director.

"The legacy of sustainability which lies deep within the UAE's heritage was instilled in us by our Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who recognised the need to protect our environment and preserve our natural resources for future generations," added Dr. Al Jaber.