Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, today launched the third edition of its international Engage Blogging Contest ahead of January’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2015, the region’s largest gathering on sustainability.
Under the theme "Describe Your City in 2030," the competition asks contributors to imagine how cities and urban environments will look and operate in 15 years. Contributors must take into account rapid urbanisation, transport infrastructure, the role of smart technology and the economic and social structures that make up a city.
Submissions should also consider the fact cities are confronted with maintaining a trajectory of economic growth, while reducing resource demand and addressing climate risk. With a rush of people moving to urban centers, the world’s cities must offer complete communities, a place to live, work and play, while being bastions of sustainability. Contributors should deliver a compelling narrative, offering innovative recommendations to showcase their ideal city of the future.
ADSW, a week-long sustainability gathering taking place January 17-24, is anchored by the 8th World Future Energy Summit, the 3rd International Water Summit, the 7th Zayed Future Energy Prize award ceremony and the second EcoWaste.
"With the world’s population projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, our urban centres are firmly on the frontlines of promoting sustainability and driving innovation," said Mahra Al Qassmi, director of marketing and communications at Masdar. "Our future cities must be able to grow, while also reducing their strain on resources such as water, energy and food.
"This year’s blogging contest will test people’s imagination as they must describe their ideal city of the future," said Al Qassmi. "The contest is an opportunity to share ideas, to write creatively and to offer a thoughtful picture – a series of solutions – of how cities can be champions of sustainable development." To enter, bloggers should write a post on their own blog with a link to Masdar’s Engage page, or alternatively for those who do not have a blog, submissions can be sent to press@masdar.ae. A panel of judges will review qualifying entries based on their overall quality and creativity; the number of votes it receives via the Masdar website, and the level of support shown on the post gains on social media channels. The competition closes at midnight EST on 2 January, 2015.