UAE a 'centre of gravity for all forms of energy'

Abu Dhabi - The ceremony started with the national anthem and a one-minute silence to remember the five UAE diplomats killed in Afghanistan.

The brightest minds of the world were in attendance as the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week opened in the Capital on Monday. The message was clear: the UAE is trying to become the "centre of gravity for all forms of energy" and the time has come to "dare to do things differently".
His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, led the charge as the four-day event for transforming ideas into reality and encourage innovation took off.
He attended the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the 10th World Future Energy Summit, which are taking place in parallel.
The ceremony started with the national anthem and a one-minute silence to remember the five UAE diplomats killed in Afghanistan.
The UAE Minister of State and Masdar chairman Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said the time has come to "step beyond the conventional, dare to do things differently and carve a new energy strategy".
"For 75 years, our region has been the leader in the oil and gas industry. Today, we are extending our reach to become the centre of gravity for all forms of energy," he said, adding that the need is to harness colletive power to make a change.  Jabar said that over the last five years, the "economics of renewables had reached an unprecedented tipping point" and the UAE is working towards a sustainable future.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev highlighted the need to preserve natural resources.
"The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week will help develop clean energy policies. It also acts as a way of interaction for all businesses," the Kazhakstan president said. in his address.
The four-day event hosted by Masdar will see as many as 3,400 delegates - from world leaders and policymakers to business leaders, scientists and academics - brainstorm ways to bring the world's sustainability community together.
Also, in attendance were Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Soli, Paraguay President Horacio Cartes, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Seychelles President Danny Faure and Montengro President Filip Vujanovic.
'So who made the world dirty'?
 UAE's top writer Khalid Al Ameri gave everyone present at the ICC hall of Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre some serious food for thought with a small anecdote that happened hours before the opening ceremony of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
Ameri had dropped his son off to school that morning, when the boy asked him, "Where are you going?" Ameri replied that he was going to work.
A further probe followed: "'What work?' So I told him it's about Zayed Future Energy Prize, which is an event to make the world cleaner and more sustainable."
But then followed a simple question that floored Ameri. "But who made it dirty?" the Grade II student asked.
There were sighs of 'oh' and 'ah' from the audience when Ameri - emcee for the awards - said this. Clearly a simple but thoughtful question had touched a chord.
"My heart almost sank. It was for the first time that I felt awkward answering a question by my son. At that point, I had two choices. I could have pointed fingers talking about all the things we have done in our development and what causes global warming, or I could have told about everything we are doing to make this world a better place. And I chose the latter," Ameri said.
"When we want to bring change in the world, it has to start with ideas. We have students, entrepreneurs and NGOs with great ideas to make this world a better place, but the problem is, they can't do it alone. Politicians, businessmen and leaders are needed to drive the ideas forward. So next year, when my son asks that question, I hope to help him with more progress of the things we have done."
Ameri left with a message for everyone. "We are not talking about words anymore but action, and that is what this week is all about."
- ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi