Towards a green economy

ABU DHABI - Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, has launched the second edition of the UAE State of Green Economy Report, during the Ministry’s participation in Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) which is taking place from January 18 to 21, 2016 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The participation comes in line with the UAE’s efforts towards adoption of the Green Economy approach as one of the key pillars of sustainable development, following the UAE Green Growth Strategy. The approach is part of the UAE Vision 2021 which is inspired by the National Work Programme of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to become amongst the best countries in the world by 2021.

Bin Fahad explained that the launch of the 2nd UAE State of Green Economy Report reflects the ongoing efforts of all local and national entities to apply the Green Economy approach which was officially adopted by the launch of the UAE Green Growth Strategy. Drawing upon the Report and other indicators, Bin Fahad underlined the UAE’s prestigious position worldwide, whether in terms of its transformation into a green economy by adopting a set innovative initiatives throughout the past few years, or in terms of its pivotal role and contributions to the efforts aimed at promoting the Green Economy approach on the regional and international levels.

Bin Fahad further pointed out that the UAE State of Green Economy Report aims to showcase the country’s major achievements and approach in transforming into a green economy, diversifying economy and energy sources and integrating environmental aspects within all development plans, while also shedding light on the most important strategies, initiatives, existing projects and success stories across various industries including energy, water, oil and gas, industry, transportation, construction, tourism, wastes, land planning, agriculture and finance, in addition to following up on the progress achieved by the UAE in its transformation into a green economy.

The UAE State of Green Economy Report features the major UAE achievements in the various fields of sustainable development in 2015, through 6 main chapters covering all pillars of Green Economy Transformation. ‘Chapter I’ aims at establishing a framework to implement the UAE Green Growth Strategy and showcase the achievements of the Emirates Green Development Council; ‘Chapter II’ highlights 10 national innovations in the fields of green development including the 3 important innovation (1) Mohammed Bin Rashid Space project to raise the efficiency of urban planning processes, (2) Policy of restructuring of the electricity tariff, (3) Solar Energy Residence; ‘Chapter III’ underlines the project portfolio of the UAE Green Agenda featuring 96 initiatives; ‘Chapter IV’ highlights the most important national contributions to green development across all emirates; ‘Chapter V’ outlines an essential enabler of promoting green growth that is the state of green investments in the banking and financial sector in the UAE; and lastly ‘Chapter VI’ showcases results of the green transformation indicators.