Today's Edition
Taha Haseeb (Abu Dhabi)
The 18th Aletihad Forum, which has been held annually since 2006 to commemorate the anniversary of the release of the Aletihad newspaper, kicks off on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.
For the last 17 years, the Aletihad newspaper has celebrated its anniversary through an annual forum that sheds light on an important current issue, gathering various writers and thinkers.
The 18th edition of the forum highlights the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) conference, to be held in the UAE at Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12, in line with the Year of Sustainability and the country’s preparations to host the conference, under the title “COP28: The UAE’s Message to Save the Planet”.
The forum is expected to be attended by a selection of researchers and thinkers, and will cover key themes on confronting the climate challenge from an Emirati perspective, the UAE’s leadership in renewable energy and climate action, and the role of environmental protection initiatives in enhancing climate awareness. The forum will explore ways to rescue developing countries from the climate threat, and participants will shed light on the foundations of international cooperation to bridge the gap between the Global North and the Global South.
The forum’s sessions include workshops to discuss facing the climate challenge through sustainable development and the role of artificial intelligence applications in enhancing climate action.
Other activities in the forum include a paper on the green economy, and its role in curbing climate risks through investment in new sectors. It also discusses the ability of the circular economy to accelerate climate neutrality.
Participants will touch upon the hosting of COP28 as a culmination of the UAE’s sustainability and climate neutrality initiatives, and will also discuss the role of religious leadership in spreading climate awareness.
The UAE’s sustainability efforts, with a particular focus on renewable energy, will likewise play a large role during the forum, as the UAE now has the largest number of clean energy projects in the world in proportion to its size and population, with 12 major projects. As of the end of 2022, energy production from these projects reached over 7,000 megawatts, highlighting the country’s leadership in this field.
Radwan Al Sayyid, Dean of the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities, noted that Aletihad newspaper celebrates two occasions this year, not just one: the anniversary of the establishment of the federal state, and the anniversary of the newspaper’s publication.
“In 43 days, COP28 will be held to address the climate change problem. This forum aims to introduce the UAE’s strategy on climate change, and certainly, the country’s interest in this matter is clear, within a comprehensive vision,” said Dr. Al Sayyid.
Dr. Ahmed Youssef Ahmed, Professor of Political Science at Cairo University, characterised the UAE’s hosting of COP28 as a logical link in a series of pioneering achievements.
Dr. Youssef Ahmed praised the UAE’s unique role in striving to embody the values of human fraternity in reality, adding that the UAE has ascended to new peaks in its international role by hosting the COP28.
The UAE has achieved incredible feats through its leading role in spreading sustainability initiatives, as embodied by the country’s 2030 Vision, and the steps taken to promote and establish comprehensive infrastructure in furtherance of sustainability and to strike a balance between development and environmentalism.
