Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2023, features discussions on climate action leading up to COP28, including the opening ceremony held on Saturday and followed by the Zayed Sustainability Awards ceremony, and the first Green Hydrogen Summit.
The week-long 15th edition of the annual event is being held under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who has emphasized the significance of sustainability as a core aspect of the UAE’s economic and social progress and prosperity.
- History of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
- Masdar – The Host Company
- 10 Winners of the 2023 Zayed Sustainability Prize
- Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023 Schedule
- List of Events at ADSW 2023
- Where Can You Register for ADSW 2023?
History of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
ADSW, established in 2008, gathers leaders from various sectors to discuss and engage in bold climate action and sustainable innovations for future generations.
The event features a series of globally significant events such as the International Renewable Energy Agency Assembly, Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum, World Future Energy Summit, Green Hydrogen Summit, Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, Youth 4 Sustainability Hub, WiSER Annual Forum, Innovate, and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards.
ADSW 2022 had 30,000 attendees from 150 countries and 600+ high-level speakers from various countries.
Masdar – The Host Company
Masdar, founded in 2006, is a global leader in renewable energy and sustainable urban development. It aims to sustain UAE’s leadership in the energy sector while diversifying its economy and energy sources for future generations.
The company operates in over 40 countries, with 20 GW capacity in its portfolio and displacing 7.5 million tonnes of CO2 in 2021.
10 Winners of the 2023 Zayed Sustainability Prize
On January 16, 2023, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, President of the UAE, presented awards to the 10 winners of the 2023 Zayed Sustainability Prize.
The 2023 Zayed Sustainability Prize awards ceremony, which was held in conjunction with the start of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, was attended by high-ranking officials including His Highness Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, as well as heads of state, ministers, past winners, and 2023 finalists from both the UAE and abroad.
His Highness congratulated the winners and reaffirmed the Prize’s role as a global catalyst for sustainability and humanitarian action.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s Remarks
In his speech, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed highlighted the UAE’s leadership in global initiatives and the ambitious goals of the Zayed Sustainability Prize. He also noted that this year marks the 15th anniversary of the Prize and the UAE’s preparation to host the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 28) to the UNFCCC.
He emphasized the need for greater international collaboration to mobilize climate action and create sustainable economic and social development opportunities across all nations.
Overview of Zayed Sustainability Prize
The Zayed Sustainability Prize, a $3 million award, recognizes and rewards small and medium-sized enterprises, nonprofit organizations, and high schools around the world that are delivering impactful, innovative, and inspiring solutions in health, food, energy, and water.
Past winners have transformed the lives of more than 378 million people around the world since 2008.
Winning Organizations
In the Health category, Brazil’s Associação Expedicionários da Saúde (EDS) was awarded the Prize for its Mobile Hospital Complex, which provides specialized medical and surgical care for indigenous communities in the Amazon. In the Food category, France’s Ÿnsect was recognized for its work in insect-based protein and natural fertilizers.
The Global High Schools category empowers youth to play an active role in supporting their communities’ socio-economic development. Each winner in the Health, Food, Energy, and Water categories receives $600,000, and the Global High Schools category has six winners, representing six world regions, with each winner receiving up to $100,000.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023 Schedule
The ADSW 2023 will be held from 14th to 19th January under the theme of ‘United on Climate Action Toward COP28’, bringing together heads of state, policymakers, industry leaders, investors, youth, and entrepreneurs to discuss key priorities for the global climate agenda at COP28 and how to accelerate progress towards a net-zero future.
The event focuses on the need for stakeholder engagement and inclusion, and the use of assessments from the first Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement to drive progress at COP28 and beyond.
The summit will focus on a wide range of critical topics including Food and Water Security, Energy Access, Industrial Decarbonisation, Health, and Climate Adaptation.
First Edition of Green Hydrogen Summit
For the first time, the ADSW 2023 will feature a Green Hydrogen Summit, hosted by Masdar’s green hydrogen business on January 18th. The event will showcase the potential of green hydrogen to decarbonize key industries and help countries to achieve their net-zero objectives.
Masdar recently announced the formation of its green hydrogen business, becoming one of the largest clean energy companies in the world and positioning itself as a leader in the industry, reinforcing UAE’s role as an energy leader.
Engaging Youth
From January 16th to 18th, the Annual Sustainable Development Summit (ADSW) 2023 will focus on engaging young people in the fight against climate change through the Youth for Sustainability platform’s Y4S Hub, with the goal of bringing in 3,000 young participants.
Additionally, the summit will feature the annual forum of Masdar’s Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (WiSER) platform, providing a platform for women to have a more prominent role in sustainability discussions.
Partner-led Events
Annual Sustainable Development Summit (ADSW) 2023 will include a variety of partner-led events and opportunities for international engagement on sustainability-related topics.
These events will include the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) Assembly from January 14th to 15th, the Atlantic Council Energy Forum from January 14th to 15th, the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum on January 18th, and the World Future Energy Summit from January 16th to 18th.
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
The Annual Sustainable Development Summit (ADSW) 2023 will provide a platform for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which constitute a significant portion of businesses globally, as over 90% of businesses worldwide are SMEs.
The summit will host over 70 SMEs and start-ups across several sectors, showcasing groundbreaking technologies and innovations, including Masdar City’s global initiative Innovate, which will feature the latest and most advanced international technologies.
List of Events at ADSW 2023
- Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum (14 – 15 January 2023)
- IRENA Assembly (14 – 15 January 2023)
- Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony (16 January 2023)
- ADSW Summit( 16 – 17 January 2023)
- World Future Energy Summit (16 – 18 January 2023)
- Youth 4 Sustainability (16 – 18 January 2023)
- Innovation Zone (16 – 18 January 2023)
- Innovate (16 – 19 January 2023)
- WiSER Annual Forum (19 January 2023)
- Arctic Circle Abu Dhabi Forum (17 – 18 January 2023)
- Green Hydrogen Summit (18 January 2023)
- Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum (19 January 2023)
Where Can You Register for ADSW 2023?
You can register for Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023 here.
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