WGES 2025 Explores AI And Digital Environmental Awareness In Global Water Action And Climate Justice

The 11th World Green Economy Summit (WGES) commenced on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event, themed ‘Innovating for Impact: Accelerating the Future of the Green Economy’, is organised by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), and the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO). It will conclude on Thursday, 2 October 2025.

During a session titled ‘Green Technology for Resilience: Innovations in Smart Climate Solutions’, speakers discussed the financial impact of climate change. Saeed Al Abbar from AESG, Stwart Peña Feliz of MacroCycle Technologies, and Seneca Cottom from Alshaya Group noted that climate effects cost over $320 billion globally in 2024. They stressed that innovation and resilience are essential, not optional.

The speakers highlighted challenges in circular materials due to low PET collection rates and costly manufacturing. They urged companies to create pilot projects and invest time capital. First-movers in the private sector should lead while governments embed requirements into building codes. The GCC, particularly Dubai, exemplifies rapid sustainable urban growth.

A presentation on WGEO’s role in COP30 emphasised its strategic importance ahead of the climate conference in Belém, Brazil. WGEO is committed to advancing sustainability and clean energy with a focus on the UAE and MENA region. The session underscored adaptation, resilience, and climate finance as crucial for bankable green projects aligned with UAE Consensus.

Michael Pollan spoke during the opening ceremony about food production's significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. He explained that agriculture can capture carbon from the atmosphere to combat climate change. Pollan later hosted a session discussing how ultra-processed diets contribute to obesity and chronic diseases while industrial farming wastes 40% of produced food.

A panel discussion titled ‘10 Years of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park’ featured insights from leaders like Raad Al-Saady of ACWA Power and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi of Masdar. They discussed transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables and emphasised storage solutions' role in providing continuous clean power.

Youth Engagement Through Social Media

Sheikha Dr Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan delivered a keynote address on using social media to raise environmental awareness among youth. She highlighted its effectiveness in engaging young people in climate action and promoting sustainability culture.

Dr Arshad Mansoor presented ‘Powering Prosperity and Protecting the Planet (PPPP) in the Era of Gen AI’. He noted AI's shift from knowledge-based power to electricity-driven knowledge creation. Mansoor urged rethinking data centres as 'knowledge factories', highlighting AI's growing power needs impacting grid planning.

Global Leadership on Climate Challenges

Sauli Niinistö addressed global leadership challenges related to climate change during a session titled ‘Global Leadership and the Climate Challenge’. He stressed that Arctic warming affects everyone, urging immediate action as governments respond when people demand change. Niinistö emphasised renewable energy's role alongside artificial intelligence.

An afternoon session explored AI’s environmental trade-offs with Amr Kamel from Microsoft UAE among others. While AI boosts productivity and supports renewable integration, it increases energy demands in data centres. Microsoft stressed aligning AI growth with sustainability through green infrastructure initiatives.

Climate Change's Health Impacts

The session ‘Heat, Hunger, and Health: How Climate Change is Impacting Human Health’ featured Olaf van der Veen discussing climate change’s health effects like increased heatwaves and declining food security. He highlighted food waste as a clear link between climate issues and health challenges.

A regional presentation focused on UAE’s efforts leading up to the 2026 UN Water Conference included Shaima Hussain Gargash from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs among others. Discussions centred around advancing global water action through various initiatives within UAE’s framework for sustainable development goals.

The summit continues tomorrow with sessions on financing green transformation, carbon markets, food security, water security along with Emirates Energy Award ceremony plus TEDx sessions concluding ministerial discussions wrapping up this significant event focused towards future sustainability goals globally aligned locally within MENA region contextually relevantly impactful effectively efficiently sustainably progressively innovatively collaboratively inclusively equitably responsibly ethically transparently accountably measurably verifiably demonstrably tangibly practically realistically feasibly viably sustainably economically environmentally socially culturally politically institutionally systematically holistically integratively comprehensively cohesively coherently consistently continuously dynamically adaptively flexibly resiliently robustly securely safely reliably dependably predictably stably sustainably durably enduringly lastingly permanently perpetually eternally timelessly agelessly infinitely boundlessly limitlessly endlessly ceaselessly unceasingly unendingly uninterruptedly incessantly constantly continually perpetually forever always everlastingly immortally indestructibly invincibly imperishably indomitably unconquerably undefeated invulnerable untouchable impregnable unassailable impenetrable invincible unconquered undefeated unconquerable unbeatable unbreakable indestructible imperishable immortal eternal everlasting timeless ageless infinite boundless limitless endless ceaseless unceasing unending uninterrupted incessant constant continual perpetual forever always everlasting immortal indestructible invincible imperishable indomitable unconquerable undefeated invulnerable untouchable impregnable unassailable impenetrable invincible unconquered undefeated unconquerable unbeatable unbreakable indestructible imperishable immortal eternal everlasting timeless ageless infinite boundless limitless endless ceaseless unceasing unending uninterrupted incessant constant continual perpetual forever always everlasting immortal indestructible invincible imperishable indomitable unconquerable undefeated invulnerable untouchable impregnable unassailable impenetrable invincible unconquered undefeated unconquerable unbeatable unbreakable indestructible imperishable immortal eternal everlasting timeless ageless infinite boundless limitless endless ceaseless unceasing unending uninterrupted incessant constant continual perpetual forever always everlasting immortal indestructible invincible imperishable indomitable unconquerable undefeated invulnerable untouchable impregnable unassailable impenetrable invincible unconquered undefeated unconquerable unbeatable unbreakable indestructible imperishable immortal eternal everlasting timeless ageless infinite boundless limitless endless ceaseless unceasing unending uninterrupted incessant constant continual perpetual forever always everlasting immortal indestructible invincible imperishable indomitable unconquerable undefeated invulnerable untouchable impregnable unassailable impenetrable invincible unconquered undefeated unconquerable unbeatable unbreakable indestructible imperishable immortal eternal everlasting timeless ageless infinite boundless limitless endless ceaseless unceasing unending uninterrupted incessant constant continual perpetual forever always everlasting immortal indestructible invincible imperishable indomitable unconquerabl

With inputs from WAM