UAE announces “Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week” at Rio+20

(Brazil) – To continue international dialogue on sustainable development taking place at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, the United Arab Emirates has announced the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), which will be held between January 13 – 17, 2013.
“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 Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.
The announcement of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week made by Dr. Al Jaber took place at a reception honouring UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in recognition of his Sustainable Energy for All initiative. The reception was attended by various ministers, heads of states and business leaders including President of the Republic of South Africa, Jakob Zuma; the Minister of Energy of the Republic of South Africa, Dipuo Peters; the Minister of Mines and Energy of Brazil, Edison Lobão; Former Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland; Director-General of UNIDO Kandeh Yumkella; Director General of IRENA, Adnan Amin; Chairman of Bank of America, Chad Holliday; Founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Dr. Muhammad Yunus; Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri; and President of the United Nations Foundation, Senator Timothy Wirth.
Guests from the UAE included head of the UAE delegation, HE Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister for Foreign Trade and HE Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water. During his remarks Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon emphasised how energy is the golden threat to advancing the sustainable development agenda. “I thank the Government of the UAE and his Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber for co-hosting this reception with the Government of Brazil. Masdar’s commitments and support for Sustainable Energy for All are an example of its ongoing leadership on clean energy,” said Ban Ki-moon.