Environment should not pay for development

Ensuring sustainable development requires a long-term strategy that includes the goal of preserving the environment. This is the challenge that all developing nations face in their attempt to balance the need for development projects with the well-being of the environment. These countries need to be given the tools that will allow them to harness renewable energy.

A five-day conference in Abu Dhabi is highlighting the importance of linking the availability of the necessary tools with plans for renewable energy. "The UAE, like the rest of the world, believes in the importance of shifting towards sustainable urban planning for cities, and the creation of technologies to generate renewable energy to ensure the reduction of irrational exploitation of fossil energy sources," said Mohammad Al Bowardi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi Emirate and Managing Director of Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi.

Pursuing this policy is challenging, given the worldwide dependence on fossil fuels. Yet looking at renewable energy as a critical factor in building the future of the UAE's energy sector is a necessary first step in the right direction.

The establishment of the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company — Masdar — was a strategic step signifying a commitment to renewable energy. But in order to harness this energy source, the necessary infrastructure has to be put in place.

Al Bowardi has outlined the ‘essential pillars' of sustainable development, which include economic development, social development and environmental sustainability. It is the UAE's commitment to helping developing countries put these pillars in place that makes its renewable energy experiment distinct and commendable.

The pursuit of development should not come at the cost of the environment. Developing nations around the world deserve better.