Abu Dhabi: Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, founder and chief executive of the Alliances for Global Sustainability, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to pressing ahead with the sustainability legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Quoting her great-grandfather and UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in the video released on Wednesday, she said: "We paid the utmost care and attention to our environment for it is an integral part of the country, our history and our heritage."
The video was released as Sheikha Shamma was invited to speak at the Sustainability Summit, which will start later today in Rome, as her message will be broadcast at the summit at the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability.
She said the focus will be on the shift towards building a circular economy that keeps resources, products, materials, and energy in use for a long time through reuse and recycling.
Sheikha Shamma highlighted the mission undertaken by the Alliances for Global Sustainability to tackle climate change and ensure the sustainability of natural resources.
She said the UAE is pledged not to leave one behind through its green economy and wealth of knowledge, noting that the Mena region has emerged as a pioneer of innovation in sustainability.
"The UAE has pledged to leave no one behind as we build a green economy and pave the way towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050," she said, adding that the UAE is "more committed than ever" to working with the private sector, and hopes that "groundbreaking partnerships" will develop as a result.
Sheikha Shamma wants to continue her family's work to enable women's advancement in many fields, including sustainability.
"Our mission is to tackle climate change by building resilience and driving a shift towards a circular economy," Sheikha Shamma said.
"This has ranged from identifying clean energy sources, investing in infrastructure to enable food and water security and exploring new waste-management solutions with the efforts of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the UAE Circular Economy Council,” she added.
Sheikha Shamma noted that the upcoming conferences to be held in Egypt later this year, and in Abu Dhabi in 2023 are testament to the growing prominence of the region within the sphere," she said.
