Dubai gears up for the World Energy Forum 2012

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of The Supreme Council of Energy for Dubai, has announced that the World Energy Forum 2012 in Dubai confirms the UAE’s leadership and people’s commitment to continuing to establish the foundations for the all-round economic and social development of its communities to accomplish sustainable development in order to become one of the foremost nations in the world, based on the UAE Vision 2021 and the nation’s seven strategic priorities that guide planners and decision-makers to work towards the well-being of its people and residents.

“This is based on the directives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, when he said that “The UAE is striving to develop and boost its rich resources and expertise in the international energy markets and enhance its leading role as a world centre for renewable energy research and development.”

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched a number of initiatives that reflects his vision for sustainable development, when he stated that, “We recognise that preserving our energy resources will be one of the greatest challenges in our drive towards sustainable development. This, however, will not materialise unless the different facets of our society adopt energy conservation principles in their core values. The future generations will be the chief beneficiary of our achievements and the best judge of what we accomplish in this field”,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy on behalf of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

“The UAE has made sustainable development one of its main priorities, to become a leading player in the region and the world, as it adopts best practices and successful national models that help boost its competitiveness as a knowledge-based economy with world-class human capital supported by a solid integrated infrastructure and a stimulating business environment. This is in addition to effective strategic partnerships between the private and public sectors and the various policies and initiatives that combine efforts towards building a bright future for generations to come,” said Al Tayer.

His speech came at a press conference held today at Armani Hotel in Burj Khalifa, which was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister for Foreign Trade, Mohammed bin Dha’en al Hamli, Minister of Energy, Dr. Harold Hyun-Suk Oh, President of the World Energy Forum, and Dr. Elissar Sarrouh, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the UAE, to announce the preparations Dubai is undertaking to host the World Energy Forum 2012, which is to be held on 22—24 October 2012 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre with the theme of A Forum for World Leaders, and for the first time outside the UN headquarters in New York. The event was attended by large number of ministers, ambassadors, the media and public and private sector officials.

In his speech, His Excellency listed the UAE’s and Dubai’s numerous accomplishments in sustainable development citing the establishment of the DSCE to manage Dubai’s energy sector with an integrated and sustainable energy strategy. The Supreme Council of Energy has, since its inception in 2009, undertaken several initiatives as part of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, which forms the basis of securing and sustaining energy resources, by diversifying those resources to include 71 per cent gas and 12 per cent nuclear power and 12 per cent clean coal, while electric power generated from renewable energy will meet 5 percent of our electricity needs in 2030.

“As part of our efforts to secure sustainable energy, being a key driver of progress and development, the electricity sector, represented by Dewa, has efficiently managed to increase saving rates that led to better environmental impact and reduced greenhouse gas emissions as a result of reducing fuel consumption at energy plants. Dewa has managed demand on energy through its programs by generating 400 MW of electricity without additional fuel,” he said.

“Dewa is benchmarked amongst the best service providers in the world, compared to its peers in developed countries, as it achieved excellent results in terms of efficiency, reliability and sustainability, as well as the best management practices in infrastructure investments and network operation. Dewa has achieved fantastic results that exceed global standards for private sectors, surpassing the top 10 companies in the US and Europe in the sector and taking the UAE to the 10th rank globally in terms of access to electricity, according to the recently-released World Bank’s 2012 report, Doing Business.”

“This year witnessed the launch of the region’s largest solar power park, the Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, while the launch of “Green Economy for Sustainable Development” initiative by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, crowned our efforts, emphasizing our leadership’s commitment and ongoing support to sustainability. To this end, the Council has participated in global efforts towards solving common energy issues by attending the Earth Summit Rio+20 in Brazil, demonstrating commitment towards sustainable development and encouraging a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable future for the good of our planet and generations to come. The Council reiterated the importance of driving green economy and stepping up efforts to diminish poverty and improve quality of living within the developmental goals of the millennium set by the UN to manage social and economic conditions in a way that limits the spread of poverty, while enhancing gender equality in the fields of education, health and environmental sustainability. Those goals are all in line with the country’s efforts to achieving the goals of the UAE Vision 2021,” he said.

He expressed hope for this successful drive to achieve the UAE’s vision and make it one of the best nations in the world to continue, thus bolstering the Dubai’s World Expo 2020 bid.

“What the UAE is looking for today is to diversify its energy resources and fortify its leading status as a global research and development hub for renewable energy, emphasizing the importance of ongoing research for alternative energy resources; where the UAE, and Dubai especially, work hand in hand with other countries to review and analyze ways to achieve a bright future and sustainable development for the people of the earth,” said Mohammed bin Dha’en Al Hamli in his speech at the press conference.

Speaking during the press conference, Al Tayer said, “The forum’s role is to support the initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the Green Economy for Sustainable Development. The forum also aims at creating a roadmap for global sustainability, promoting a new energy paradigm supporting the global economy and social development amongst all UN member nations. Moreover, it will contribute to launching a global drive for proving cleaner, safer and more sustainable energy for all.”

“Chief among the enablers that helped Dubai host the World Energy Forum is its leadership’s commitment, led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to sustainable development with energy efficiency at its heart. This is the embodiment of the UAE’s commitment to the global community. The other enabler is the fact that the UAE is a safe and secure federated nation that focuses on the all-round economic and social development of its people and preserving its national identity, in addition to being a committed participant in global efforts to achieve peace and security and fight organized crime. The UAE also adopts a policy of transparency and disclosure, and pursues a variety of awareness programs across various issues. The UAE’s infrastructure is also a key enabler that helps it rise to prominence, especially as the UAE is committed to achieving the best global standards in availability, efficiency and reliability, in addition to providing a safe, secure and clean environment it is competitive on a global level and attracts investments,” said Al Tayer.

“The United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. World Energy Forum 2012 is designed to highlight energy issues as they relate to sustainable development. It aims to explore the roadmap towards a cleaner, safer and sustainable global energy system that will benefit all nations and peoples. It is no gainsaying that energy, the dominant contributor to climate change, is the bedrock for the socio-economic transformation of our vastly developing societies. I therefore charge those with clear vision, courage and the political will to join hands with the World Energy Forum and Government of Dubai in bringing the deserved long-term energy solutions that will inevitably ensure the applications of varieties of innovative and pragmatic results that will largely effect changes in the lives of our people. Together be you a political leader, a diplomat, a bureaucrat, an academia, an entrepreneur, a journalist or broadcaster, we all owe it to our present and future generations that the lives of our people, the commoners who are energy impoverished, are impacted upon by ensuring constant, efficient, affordable and sustainable energy,” said Dr. Oh.

“If we don’t progress towards a greener economy, it is expected that the world will greatly suffer from global warming and exhaustion of conventional natural resources. Scientists estimate that current trends of development can lead to a 25% increase in world demand for oil by 2030 over that in 2006. This will lead to an increase in the emissions of greenhouse gases from 28 Gigatons of carbon dioxide in 2006 to 40 Gigatons by 2030 and 62 Gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050,” said Dr. Sarrouh.

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