Dubai – In the UAE’s capital the much anticipated annual Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) will kick-off next week. The main theme for this year’s edition is ‘accelerating the pace of sustainable development’. Other focus areas include Youth, Artificial Intelligence and Society.

By Arthur Blok |

ADSW is hosted by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company ‘Masdar’ and falls under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Central this year is the global sustainability agenda and the role of technical developments in the areas of artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things. All of which accelerates the current global pace of sustainable development.

Largest sustainability gathering
The ADSW is a demonstration of the UAE’s proactive and trendsetting approach towards sustainability and its commitment to furthering the world’s understanding of the major social, economic and technology trends shaping the world that we live in today. At the heart of ADSW is the World Future Energy Summit, and The Water Forum. An event which brings the global water industry together to tackle the challenges of water scarcity.

The Water Forum will present the latest technologies and thinking being developed to tackle the challenges to maintaining supplies of fresh water, particularly in water-stressed regions such as the Middle East and North Africa.

This annual week in the UAE’s capital city is one of the largest sustainability gatherings on the globe. It brings together a rather unique mix of policy makers, industry specialists, technology pioneers and the next generation of sustainability leaders. Through its initiatives and events, ADSW promotes the sharing of knowledge, showcasing the latest innovative ideas and providing sustainable solutions.

Last year’s edition hosted over 38,000 attendees from more than 70 countries. During the week there were 850 exhibiting companies and 5,000 conference delegates, while a stunning total of US$11 billion worth of deals were announced during the course of the summit.

ADSW has been held since 2008 and has grown into a global catalyst for accelerating the world’s sustainable development around the pillars Energy and Climate Change, Water and Food, Future of Mobility, Space; Biotechnology in Health, and Tech for Good. This year’s edition will focus on three cross-cutting’ themes: Artificial Intelligence, Community and Youth.

Highlights in 2020
Other key events at this year’s edition are the Zayed Sustainability Prize, the Youth 4 Sustainability Hub, the Climate Innovation Exchange (CLIX), and the Future Skills 2030: Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) Forum.

Other highlights include the so called ‘Smart Cities Expo & Forum’: an event that brings forward-thinking governments and municipalities together with pioneers in smart infrastructure, future transportation and next-generation building technology to develop the potential of connected communities – from sustainable planning to smart mobility.

This year’s second edition of the ‘Future Sustainability Summit’ will deliver a varied programme including senior policymakers, CEOs, entrepreneurs, scientists, academics and innovators, and examine their roles in a sustainable future under the theme ‘Rethinking Global Consumption, Production and Investment.’

The Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum (ADSFF) will also celebrate its second edition this year. It will highlight the latest progress in Abu Dhabi’s Sustainable Finance Agenda, and promote the second edition of the Abu Dhabi Declaration. It will also include the launch of the region’s first sustainable Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).

Finally, the ADSW will further expanded its activities aimed at engaging local communities across the UAE including an ‘Eco-Bus’ tour of the seven emirates, and the official launch of the world’s largest mosaic out of recycled materials built by Masdar.

Another major event at this year’s ADSW is the announcement of the winner of the 2020 Online Global Innovation Award 2020 the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment Thani Ahmed Alzeyoudi. This year’s nominees for the much coveted award are Heliatek, Phoenix Biopower, Convez, Graviky and Imetland.