ID :
41626
Tue, 01/20/2009 - 15:40
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/41626
The shortlink copeid
World Future Energy Summit 2009 kicks off in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, Jan 20, 2009 (WAM) - The World Future Energy Summit 2009 kicked off yesterday in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Elite speakers at the opening ceremony of the 3-day event included Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO, MASDAR, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange, The Netherlands, James Alix Michel, President, Republic of Seychelles, Matthias Machnig, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, as the Representative of Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel, Germany. Around 5000 delegates from 20 counties are attending the summit and the accompanying exhibition.
Despite the doubts raised by the impact of the current global financial crisis on energy sector in 2008, the renewable energy sector continues to grow and make sense in these difficult times, according to Al Jaber in his opening speech.
Under the guidance of our the leadership of President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and H.H Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi, through its Masdar initiative, will remain a leader in sustainable development with energetic progress being made towards completion of the world's first green city and the world's first completely sustainable city, stressed Al Jaber.
'Two reasons why Abu Dhabi is establishing itself as a hub for renewable energy: first because we can and second because we should,' said Al Jaber.
Abu Dhabi, through its Masdar initiative, intends to set new standards in leading edge clean and alternative energy technologies, conserve natural resources and reduce the world's carbon footprint by creating the planet's first zero-carbon, zero-waste green city.
In the coming few weeks, Abu Dhabi will announce its comprehensive energy policy which includes a commitment to provide, by the year 2020, at least 7% of electricity using renewable.
HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange paid tribute to the UAE leadership for their energy vision. He said the desert which is mistakenly thought of as a barren environment provides resources of energies which should be tapped by the readily available technologies.
He noted that the demise of previous civilizations was mainly due to their unsustainable use of the prime energy resources as well as to deforestation.
Prince Willem-Alexander urged looking beyond the current global financial crisis which created the need for billions of dollars to generate economic growth as well as for adopting sustainable solutions to save our planet.
"Politicians and citizens should work just like fire-fighters to save the plant", prince Willem-Alexander remarked adding that the aim of the current summit is to initiate a peaceful revolution in clean energy.
In his speech, James Alix Michel, President, Republic of Seychelles lamented the spending of billions of dollars on 'bloody wars'. Warning against dire consequences of climate change, Alix Michel lamented the fact that 'humanity has failed to understand that the planet's resources, stretched to the bone .Nature are subjected to massive destruction'.
'We need energy, but not to the detriment of our planet', he noted.
He criticised the world leaders who he said had never come in a consensus over ways to face climate change and who 'block any final conclusion to the climate change talks'.
'When giant economies sneeze, small islands don't catch a cold but a fever', Alix Michel opined.
For his part, Matthias Machnig, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, as the Representative of Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel, said Merkel was she was very impressed when she talked to Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed about Masdar initiative. He thanked Sheikh Mohammed for his personal investment and interest in this summit which he said is set to discuss ways to face a 'climate change crisis'.
'We cannot afford to postpone any climate change efforts' calling for efforts to deal with the 'double challenge' after the global financial crisis.
A keynote session is being held in the afternoon under the theme 'the WORLD FUTURE ENERGY POLICY AND STRATEGY'. The panel of speakers include Connie Hedegaard, Minister for Climate and Energy, Denmark, Moritz Leuenberger, Minister of Energy, Environment and Communication, Switzerland, Dr Susan Hockfield, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,. Energy Conservation and Professor Lord Stern, Special Advisor to HSBC's Group Chairman on Economic Development and Climate Change.
Elite speakers at the opening ceremony of the 3-day event included Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO, MASDAR, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange, The Netherlands, James Alix Michel, President, Republic of Seychelles, Matthias Machnig, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, as the Representative of Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel, Germany. Around 5000 delegates from 20 counties are attending the summit and the accompanying exhibition.
Despite the doubts raised by the impact of the current global financial crisis on energy sector in 2008, the renewable energy sector continues to grow and make sense in these difficult times, according to Al Jaber in his opening speech.
Under the guidance of our the leadership of President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and H.H Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi, through its Masdar initiative, will remain a leader in sustainable development with energetic progress being made towards completion of the world's first green city and the world's first completely sustainable city, stressed Al Jaber.
'Two reasons why Abu Dhabi is establishing itself as a hub for renewable energy: first because we can and second because we should,' said Al Jaber.
Abu Dhabi, through its Masdar initiative, intends to set new standards in leading edge clean and alternative energy technologies, conserve natural resources and reduce the world's carbon footprint by creating the planet's first zero-carbon, zero-waste green city.
In the coming few weeks, Abu Dhabi will announce its comprehensive energy policy which includes a commitment to provide, by the year 2020, at least 7% of electricity using renewable.
HRH Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange paid tribute to the UAE leadership for their energy vision. He said the desert which is mistakenly thought of as a barren environment provides resources of energies which should be tapped by the readily available technologies.
He noted that the demise of previous civilizations was mainly due to their unsustainable use of the prime energy resources as well as to deforestation.
Prince Willem-Alexander urged looking beyond the current global financial crisis which created the need for billions of dollars to generate economic growth as well as for adopting sustainable solutions to save our planet.
"Politicians and citizens should work just like fire-fighters to save the plant", prince Willem-Alexander remarked adding that the aim of the current summit is to initiate a peaceful revolution in clean energy.
In his speech, James Alix Michel, President, Republic of Seychelles lamented the spending of billions of dollars on 'bloody wars'. Warning against dire consequences of climate change, Alix Michel lamented the fact that 'humanity has failed to understand that the planet's resources, stretched to the bone .Nature are subjected to massive destruction'.
'We need energy, but not to the detriment of our planet', he noted.
He criticised the world leaders who he said had never come in a consensus over ways to face climate change and who 'block any final conclusion to the climate change talks'.
'When giant economies sneeze, small islands don't catch a cold but a fever', Alix Michel opined.
For his part, Matthias Machnig, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, as the Representative of Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel, said Merkel was she was very impressed when she talked to Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed about Masdar initiative. He thanked Sheikh Mohammed for his personal investment and interest in this summit which he said is set to discuss ways to face a 'climate change crisis'.
'We cannot afford to postpone any climate change efforts' calling for efforts to deal with the 'double challenge' after the global financial crisis.
A keynote session is being held in the afternoon under the theme 'the WORLD FUTURE ENERGY POLICY AND STRATEGY'. The panel of speakers include Connie Hedegaard, Minister for Climate and Energy, Denmark, Moritz Leuenberger, Minister of Energy, Environment and Communication, Switzerland, Dr Susan Hockfield, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,. Energy Conservation and Professor Lord Stern, Special Advisor to HSBC's Group Chairman on Economic Development and Climate Change.
