Good news for the world from UAE

It is not every day that one finds a good story coming from the Middle East. For decades this region has been plagued by wars and conflicts, instability and uncertainty. The challenges for the region are enormous at all levels and success of one country is often subdued by failures in others. For outsiders perception of the Middle East is almost always stereotyped; oil rich, exotic and extravagant, but also burdened by poverty, militancy and ignorance.

The extraordinary achievements by some are rarely acknowledged or cele-brated, while the problems in others are often exaggerated and generalised. The reality is different, as those living in the region know. While wealth is not always a measure of accomplishment, in the case of the UAE it has been geared towards universal good.

The Zayed Future Energy Prize, funded by the Abu Dhabi government, is but one shining example. Launched in 2008 to honour the environmental vision of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the international prize quickly gained repute as the Nobel of conservationists and innovators of renewable energy solutions worldwide.

Two years after its launch by General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, at the 2008 World Future Energy Summit, the unique energy award has attracted the attention of hundreds of organisations, companies and individuals involved in developing alternative and sustainable energy solutions. There is no doubt that the prize and the vision behind it have given a new direction to international efforts aimed at developing alternative energy sources and technologies at a crucial time.

Last Monday global climate change negotiations opened in Cancun, Mexico, with warnings that time is running out for nations to forge a legally binding deal to avert an environmental disaster. Attempts to reach agreement to bring down carbon level emissions failed at last year's Copenhagen conference.

Climate change and the greenhouse effect are among the biggest challenges to human development this century. Unless countries find ways to limit their dependency on fossil fuel and develop alternative sources of clean energy the environmental effects will be disastrous to all. For the UAE, a leading oil exporter, to take the lead in committing itself to this cause is extraordinary. It is a visionary initiative that constitutes a great story coming from the Middle East. The $1.5 million (Dh5.509 million) prize is a prestigious one. But that is not what makes it valuable. The fact that the prize is managed by Masdar, another Abu Dhabi-owned entity, is what makes it unique. Established in 2006, Masdar is a multi-faceted company "advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of renewable energy solutions and clean technologies". Its aim is to create "scalable clean energy solutions and integrating new research with proven technologies to produce efficient systems and processes that can be replicated globally".

Challenge

Like the Zayed Future Energy Prize, Masdar is a genuine global initiative that promises to overcome the challenge of developing clean and renewable energy in the near future. One of its biggest projects will be Masdar City, a clean technology cluster being developed on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi that aims to be one of the world's most sustainable cities. It will be home to leading multinational companies in the cleantech sector, as well as small- and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurial start-ups, with universities and research centres close by. Abu Dhabi's commitment to clean energy alternatives has already put the UAE in the forefront as a world hub for innovations in renewable energy sources. It has been a catalyst in this field for a number of reasons: it had the vision, the political will and the resources to do it.

At a time when the world is going through tough economic times, the UAE has done well by diversifying its economy and employing a long-term vision in the fields of energy, environment, business, tourism — in particular eco-tourism — and industry. It has managed to withstand regional and global pressures and is now enjoying economic growth and stability. But its investments in the field of new energy sources will set it aside not only as a pioneer but as a long-term innovator. The prize and the Masdar projects are aligned to make Abu Dhabi an undisputed world leader in this crucially important arena.

One day, and it will come soon, the UAE will provide technologies and innovations that will help the world find solutions to its present dependency on fossil fuels. Developing clean and sustainable energy at commercial levels is not a far-fetched goal, and the challenge to climate change will be met because our survival depends on it.

At a time when only bad news comes from the Middle East, Abu Dhabi is working diligently to pursue a great vision that will provide solutions to mankind's biggest challenge in the 21st century. Abu Dhabi, which is home to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and host of the annual World Future Energy Summit, is putting its resources and expertise to great use in the service of humanity and its future.

Osama Al Sharif is a veteran journalist and political commentator based in Amman.