DUBAI – The World Green Economy Summit (WGES), which kicked off today at the Dubai World Trade Centre, saw the launch of the ‘Global Alliance on Green Economy’.

The ‘Global Alliance on Green Economy’ aims to build a coalition of countries, prioritising a green economy in the context of climate action and sustainable development, to enhance the capacity of developing countries, provide support for their green economy transition projects and exchange knowledge on implementation.

The launch was announced by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the World Green Economy Organisation, and MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), during a ministerial roundtable on green economy on the opening day of the Summit, which is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Around 25 ministers and officials from around the world were present.

The Ministerial Roundtable on Green Economy was attended by Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, India; Hussein Makhlouf, Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Syria; Naseer Ahamed, Minister of Environment, Sri Lanka; Dr. Mona Ali Mohammed Ahmed, Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources (HCENR), Sudan; Kavydass Ramano, Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change,Mauritius; Adam Ohirsi, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Somalia; and a number of senior officials from across the world.

During the meeting, Al Tayer commended the commitment of the participating countries and their efforts towards the global transition to a green economy that ensures sustainable development, resilience to climate change, and poverty eradication. He noted that this roundtable, like many others during the World Green Economy Summit, aims to foster a green way of living by ensuring a healthy balance between economic growth, social prosperity, and environmental protection. He said they should be committed to a transition to a global green economy based on collective will, partnerships and swift action.

“For us in the UAE, pioneering the adoption of green economy principles and practices within sustainable development, resilience to climate change, and poverty eradication are paramount. We have embarked on a journey to be a global hub and effective example of a new green economy that can achieve economic sustainability while protecting the environment for future generations. This vision of the UAE’s wise leadership can be seen in our national policies,” said Al Tayer.

“Advancing the green economy requires international cooperation, guaranteeing a new approach and a stable partnership among all stakeholders globally. Linking the Paris Agreement goals and its corresponding articles, as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with climate planning and climate finance, are key synergies in this transition. We truly believe this harmonisation to be essential in the lead-up to COP27 and COP28 in Egypt and the UAE, respectively,” he added.

“We are not only launching the UAE Global Alliance on Green Economy today, but we are creating a stronger partnership among ourselves to work towards a vision to which we already agreed by committing ourselves to achieving the SDGs and the Paris Agreement goals. This Global Alliance is not the outcome but the first milestone toward important work ahead. We will now be engaging with countries to identify their needs, priorities, and challenges in the context of the green economy, during the next three months. This multi-stakeholder exercise and inclusive consultation with countries will lead to the launch of a suite of flagship projects by WGEO to support the green economy agenda in the countries joining the Alliance. The work under the Alliance will address pressing issues such as food security and carbon markets and how cooperation can be increased at the South-South and North-South levels. I firmly believe that the Alliance and today’s roundtable on the green economy will help us move closer to this goal, by making appropriate solutions available and accessible at the state level and leading us towards real change,” said Al Tayer.

“We will also be working towards advancing WGEO in the context of its role at the national, regional, and global levels during 2023. We will be moving towards the international treaty of WGEO. I am also thankful to development partners who have been instrumental in the success of WGEO. We are pleased to have WGEO hosting the UNFCCC Secretariat Regional Collaboration Centre and convening the first-ever MENA Climate Week, which was a great success. WGEO has conducted several ministerial conferences in various regions with the support of the UN South-South Cooperation. WGEO is also hosting the UAE local network of the UN Global Compact; and WGEO itself was launched with UNDP at the inception phase. I want to assure the country representatives that this Alliance will be a great success story and will continue to grow, be replicated, and be upscaled in various domains. As we look forward to creating a better future for us and our next generations, I would like to extend a warm invitation to world leaders to join us on this journey and to support effective green economic solutions that address the current economic and environmental needs,” added Al Tayer.

“The UAE is committed to making the green economy a reality. We will continue to support international gatherings like this, bringing people together to create a platform to foster the green economy and sustainable development. I hope today, at this gathering, we will take another leap forward and accelerate towards a sustainable global green economy,” Al Tayer concluded.

“If we want to fast-track our transition to a green economy, we must all work together, and to do so, we need one platform with one common objective. The UAE Global Alliance on Green Economy seeks to provide such a platform. I extend my sincere appreciation to WGEO for supporting the Alliance. I look forward to achieving new milestones with our partners, learning from each other, and inspiring each other to reach new heights in our shared pursuit of a sustainable way of life,” said Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment.

Participants in the ministerial roundtable underlined the importance of the Alliance’s launch as a platform for concerted global efforts, especially in the current phase of severe climate challenges. Such developments highlight the pressing need for concerted efforts by all countries to implement the Paris Agreement goals and the 2030 Action Plan for Sustainable Development.