Ecocity World Summit 2015 launches in Abu Dhabi

Ecocity World Summit (ECWS), the longest-running international conference series on sustainable cities, officially launched yesterday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). Running until 13 October 2015, the Summit has mobilised local, regional and global leaders and experts to collaborate and exchange ideas and experiences that will guide the development of ecocities in challenging environments.

The event is being led by the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) and supported by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the Urban Planning Council (UPC) and Masdar, and is facilitated by Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) with Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cultural Authority (TCA) as the destination host.

Leading the opening ceremony, Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State and Director General of EXPO 2020 Dubai Bureau, said: "The Ecocity – just like all cities – and just like Expo 2020, is far more than bricks, mortar and steel. It is an idea. When people become sufficiently excited about that idea, they move to that city. That has always been true – just as it is today – with Dubai and Abu Dhabi." She added "So the question is not ‘Should we be building for the future?' But ‘How should we be building for the future?' And part of the answer comes from the confluence of new technologies, unprecedented sharing of knowledge, faster processing and endless worldwide innovation. All of which has created a new wave in urban design."

"It is a great honour for the UAE to host the EcoCity World Summit, particularly as the UN has just adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Agenda, which marks a turning point in our understanding of cities" said Dr. Thani Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Director of Energy and Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "If the world is going to achieve sustainable development, policies, business models, and lifestyles that we choose in cities will be critical."

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) also spoke during the opening, stating: "Human activities are increasingly concentrated in cites with the UN forecasting that 60% - 5 billion people - will live in urban centres by 2030 and 70% - 6.6 billion people - by 2050. In the UAE we already have more than 90% of people living in urban centres. Globally, cities currently account for 60-80% of energy consumption and 75% of carbon emissions." She then added: "Therefore, if we are to preserve our natural resources and reduce the impacts of climate change, cities must be an essential part of the solution."

"We are very pleased to be hosting this summit at such an important time for global sustainability and for climate action and an important time for the Arab Region. The Arab Region is seeing rapid population growth, and has a demographic that is getting younger in contrast to many Western countries. According to the UN, by 2030, as many as 60% of all urban dwellers will be under the age of 18, so cities should be designed to provide the right environment for young people to thrive," she said.

Meanwhile, Falah Al Ahbabi, Director General, Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council said: "The UPC is proud to be involved in Ecocity World Summit 2015, which is instrumental in bringing together government officials and industry experts to discuss issues that affect our cities, the challenges our communities face, and how we can change and develop them for the better. Sharing information on the very latest in international sustainability planning methodologies and processes enhances our efforts in paving the way for our future generations. Our Estidama sustainability programme, which is now firmly embedded across the Emirate, was developed with the future in mind. Though Abu Dhabi is a relatively young city, we are evolving at a tremendous pace as we work towards Vision 2030 – under the guidance of our Leadership and their goal to become a leading sustainable and modern city."

Meanwhile, Mubarak Al Shamisi, Director of Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, added: "Holding this Summit in Abu Dhabi reinforces our ambitions to be recognised as a preferred destination for major world conventions and a local and global leader in environmental sustainability efforts. The summit will raise more awareness in the UAE and beyond on the need for more sustainable community planning."

ECWS provides an open, inclusive and modest platform for experts and visionaries at the cutting-edge of sustainable urbanism to collaborate via a dynamic programme of plenary sessions, workshops, case study presentations, panel discussions, debates, academic panels and more.

Kirstin Miller, Executive Director of Ecocity Builders, the owners and initiators of the conference series, said: "Throughout the 20 years of the Ecocity World Summit series, the objective has been to exchange global ecocity knowledge and advance the practice and learning through regional applications and local culture. For the first time in the series' history, we proudly expand our global reach to the Middle East with the inauguration of the 2015 Summit in Abu Dhabi. This year's edition has attracted global, regional and local leaders to discuss the future of the sustainability for the region, and we are excited to see the outcomes."

With an impressive line-up of speakers including 17 ministers and government officials as speakers, 22 subject matter experts and up to a dozen academia, the Summit will cover topics including: Building in Hot and Arid Climates - Challenges and Innovation, Eco citizen and the Green Economy, Biomimicry in Architecture and Urban Design, The Local Vision – Leadership Panel, Education for Tomorrow's Ecocitizens, Living Buildings, Structures and Materials; in addition to other key environmental sustainability topics.

Delegates are also welcome to a series of side events focused on key, relevant environmental topics, from blue carbon to demonstrators and simulation tools for sustainable cities. The Summit further hosts an exhibition with UAE and regional pavilions as well as special exhibitions, including by Cultural Engineering and Brown book.
Source: WAM