Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber makes welcome address at ADSW 2016

ABU DHABI, 19th January, 2016 (WAM) -- Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Chairman of Masdar in his welcome address at ADSW, said, "We gather here in an effort to turn political ambitions into practical actions and to promote trans-formative ideas by recognising visionary thinkers. Today, we convene at a time of complex geo-political and economic circumstances, but we also convene at a moment of unprecedented unity. For over two decades we have been saying 'we must, we can and we should', but last month, in Paris, we did." He said that the Paris agreement marked the culmination of years of challenging negotiations. "Never before has the political will to address the climate change and achieve sustainable development been so resolute, and never before have market forces aligned so closely with political choices; in fact the economic case for everyone concerned has now become an undeniable opportunity." Dr. Al Jaber mentioned Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the winner of this year Lifetime Achievement Award of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, saying that she first defined sustainable development with her colleagues nearly 30 years ago when the risk of global warming was real, yet affordable solutions were not. And now, as a result of progressive advances in technology, policy and finance, those solutions are reliable, efficient, and commercially competitive. "We are seeing sustainable and clean technologies ramping up across all geographies, all industries, and in the most unusual places from energy rich countries and small island states to see water desalination, and enhanced oil recovery, but achieving sustainable development and meeting the world’s growing demands for energy cannot be met by one source alone," Dr. Al Jaber said, pointing out that all energy sources, both traditional and new, must work hand in hand. "We should not see this as a conflict but rather a unique opportunity, and the UAE as a responsible global energy player recognises this simple reality." "There is no one answer to the world’s energy needs and that is why our leadership has prioritised economic and energy diversification as fundamental pillars to achieving sustainable development," he said. "Our efforts to pursue sectors such as aviation, logistics, tourism, technology and financial services are enabling us to remain resilient and very competitive, in fact we have also long recognised that clean energy will play an increasingly important role in unlocking new sources of economic growth and transforming sustainability from an environmental imperative into a major force for economic development. And while we remain in a world leader in the oil and gas sector, we will also continue to play a central role in advancing clean and renewable energy." In conclusion, Dr. Al Jaber said that there has never been a greater opportunity to make real progress towards sustainable development and to create and economic potential that can drive sustained growth for future generations. "Let us start here at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week to build bridges between governments and businesses to create durable partnerships and to address the world’s most pressing challenges in sustainability. So let’s be brave, bold, and ambitious, let us use this week to maintain the momentum and capitalise on this historical opportunity to lift the global economy and shape a practical pathway towards a sustainable future." – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395290441530.html