Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s sustainable strategy will ensure meeting future demand for energy and water, a top official said here on Thursday.
“We have limited access to sustainable sources of water and food … we must protect and extend the life of our hydrocarbon resources,” Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, Minister of State and chairman of Masdar, said.
He was addressing the ‘Powering Progress Together’ conference, jointly hosted by Shell and Masdar.
Al Jaber said the UAE has adopted a number of sustainable measures to make the economy more resilient in the face of this resource challenge.
Desalination
Deploying and testing innovative water desalination technologies, building sophisticated alternative energy projects, piloting and advancing ground-breaking biofuel technology and enhancing food security programmes are some of those measures, he said.
About the energy, water and food nexus, he said the interdependent relationship between these three resources can no longer be ignored or underestimated.
By 2030, there will be over eight billion people on the planet and the demand for energy, water and food will rise by 40 to 50 per cent.
“Even here … in this region…despite being blessed with significant energy resources … we cannot avoid this global challenge,” Al Jaber said.
