The UAE is keen to diversify its energy resources and allocate a growing share to clean energy in order to ensure a secure future for the coming generations and promote economic growth, said His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, inaugurating the 2017 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) today.

The inauguration ceremony,  at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), was attended by the President of Kazakhstan, Noor Sultan Nursultan Nazarbayev; the President of Seychelles, Danny Faure; the President of Paraguay, Horacio Cartes; the President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanovic; the President of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis; and the Prime minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal; along with ministers, top officials and delegates from around the globe, said a Wam news agency report.

Sheikh Mohamed stressed that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, continues to consolidate its position in the energy sector to promote economic and social growth.

He added that the fact that world leaders, decision-makers and experts have gathered in Abu Dhabi today to participate in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, is proof that the UAE is making efforts and measures in the field of energy development and the water sector locally, regionally and globally, the report quoted.

The country has become leader in discussions of the opportunities and challenges in this vital sector, he said, adding: "We look forward to that dialogue and debate in the coming days which will contribute towards building a secure and prosperous future for the present and future generations."

Dr Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, chairman of Masdar and CEO of the Adnoc Group, paid tribute in his welcome address to the five UAE diplomats whose lives were cut short while bringing humanitarian relief to the people of Afghanistan. He said that their sacrifice reminds us that the values that unite us are much stronger than any attempt to divide us. On that note, he requested everyone to join in a moment of silence in their honour.

He went on to say that over the last decade, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week has become the premier destination for championing sustainability and driving tangible and real results.

"These last 10 years have witnessed truly remarkable progress. Today, sustainability sits at the top of the global agenda and has brought together developed and developing nations around one common cause. More importantly, it has introduced a fresh perspective and new balanced to the energy landscape," he said.

Dr Sultan said that in this new era, renewables and hydrocarbons enjoy a truly symbiotic relationship that is reshaping the economics of energy, adding that nowhere is this paradigm shift more true or relevant than here in this part of the world. "For over 75 years, our region has been the leader of the oil and gas industry. Today we are extending our reach to become the centre of gravity for all forms of energy."

He said that while oil and gas remain critical drivers for the global economy for decades to come, we see even greater opportunities in leveraging the benefits of both new and traditional forms of energy by integrating them into a more creative and more productive commercial proposition. This belief lies at the core of the UAE's 2050 energy strategy and plan.

He called the region as a 'sun rich' part of the world, saying that the more solar we deploy, the more available hydrocarbons we will have to drive higher value products and help meet global energy requirements. In fact, he explained, working collectively, renewables and natural gas have already begun to 'reset the carbon clock'. "For the first time in the industrial age, carbon emissions are leveling off and even starting to drop, this is an achievement of historic proportions, and with this integrated model driven by a compelling economic and commercial case, we will ultimately drive sustainable development and ensure energy security."

"While some may see the world divided into new and traditional sources of energy, we believe that the absolute opposite is what is needed. We believe that both sectors must work hand in hand, leveraging the strength of all forms of energy to deliver greater possibilities and far reaching benefits. In doing so, we will lay a path that will lead us towards a sustainable future driven by a durable energy strategy and underpinned by lasting economic progress. So, let us step beyond the conventional, dare to do things differently and create a new energy strategy," he said.

Hosted by Masdar, this year's ADSW theme is, ‘Practical Steps Towards a Sustainable Future’. The week’s anchor event, the World Future Energy Summit, WFES, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary with a strong focus on technology, innovation and finance.

The event will host around 880 companies from 40 countries. More than 50 percent of exhibitors at the event are small and medium sized enterprises, SMEs, from leading clean tech nations including Germany, France, Japan, China, the USA and the UK, further illustrating the commercial dynamism and maturity of the sector.

ADSW 2017 will see the return of important co-located events that promote a complete cycle of sustainability, including the 5th International Water Summit, supported by Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, ADWEA, and the 4th EcoWASTE Exhibition and Conference, held in partnership with Tadweer, The Centre of Waste Management in Abu Dhabi, said the Wam report.