DUBAI - Tomorrow's sixth World Green Economy Summit, WGES, will tackle challenges and solutions for the green economy and sustainable agriculture as well as the role of women and youth in achieving a green economy through innovation, cooperation, transparency, environmental management and social solidarity Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, and President of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA, opens the sixth WGES 2019 on October 20th under the theme ‘Innovative Technologies for a Sustainable Economy’ at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The two-day global event will focus on three main pillars: towards sustainable development, international cooperation towards a green economy system and adoption of green innovative solutions across varied sectors.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, and Chairman of WGES, said, "The objectives of the Summit are in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Sustainable development in the UAE is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030, the UAE Centennial 2071, which aims to make the UAE the best country in the world by 2071, the UAE Vision 2021, the Dubai Plan 2021 and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 which indicates that 7 percent of Dubai's total power output will be derived from clean energy by 2020, rising to 25 percent by 2030 and 75 percent by 2050. " "Dubai is an active contributor and has a key role in bringing ideas, expertise and initiatives to create a better future for humanity, based on the emirate's position and efforts as the global capital of the green economy in the world," he said.

The first day of the WGES is expected to focus on aligning energy policy to the Sustainable Development Goals,SDGs, highlighting the significant workload required to build a sustainable future. Participants will exchange views on successful sustainability strategies, systems and policies, and their potential for replication and scaling up. The first day will also focus on the role of women in achieving a green economy through innovation, cooperation, transparency, environmental management and social solidarity which are soft skills, and particularly important in environmental sustainability and sustainable development. The session will explore the challenges and opportunities facing women in sustainability, highlighting a variety of women working in this field, in sectors such as energy, water, finance and development.

This year, on the first day of the Summit, the focus will be on youth participation. By engaging young people in sustainability before entering the labor market, they can make more informed choices and draw the attention of companies that sustainability is something that must be taken seriously if they are to recruit the best talent. These sessions will encourage young people to engage in sustainable development and the green economy. In addition to the above, the first day will witness discussions on the green economy, with the presence of experts in the sector.

The second day of the event, which will see the Dubai 2019 Declaration, will highlight the sustainability of the private sector, green banking and investment, and the challenges and solutions for the green economy and sustainable agriculture.

The summit will oversee prominent international and local participation, including 60 speakers who will spearhead 14 panel discussions over two days. Among the top guests this year is President of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, and Ban Ki-moon, the former secretary-general of the UN, who is a keynote speaker.

To enrich the summit discussions aimed at finding solutions to promote the green economy, achieve sustainable development goals and meet the challenges of climate change, a number of ministers, senior government officials, decision-makers, international consultants in the field of green economy, as well as NGO representatives are participating.

Locally, Mariam Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, along with other ministers and senior officials will also join the summit that provides a leading platform for dialogue, partnerships and the exchange of ideas and experiences.

WGES, will attract more than 3,700 participants, experts and opinion leaders in various fields of the green economy and sustainable development, including executives, partners, financial institutions and representatives of global markets from 78 countries. 60 Speakers will spearhead 14 seminars and discussion sessions.

Ahead of the World Green Economy Summit 2019 in Dubai, the first regional ministerial conferences on green economy were held in 2019, the first of its kind in five countries around the world to discuss green economy solutions that are most relevant to their regions.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2019.