DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 17th Nov, 2020) The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, MOCCAE, today hosted a meeting of the Environment Business Majlis. MOCCAE organised the event in collaboration with the Office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Teleworking Applications, Dubai Future Foundation, DFF, Alliances for Global Sustainability, AGS, the World Green Economy Organisation, WGEO, Global Compact Network UAE, and the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, SRTI Park.
Drawing the participation of Majlis members, SMEs, and investors from various sectors, the event focused on promoting environmental sustainability in the private sector through connecting elite players with SMEs to create investment opportunities in environment-friendly projects.
SME representatives had the opportunity to present their innovative solutions to potential investors with the objective of securing funds that help take their businesses to the next level.
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, CEO and Founder of AGS, said: "As a dedicated member of the sustainability community, it’s an honor to play a role that brings together government entities, SMEs, and potential investors. The Environment Business Majlis creates a capacity in which investors can be introduced to innovative start-ups and SMEs at ideation phase and beyond with the potential of stimulating the market into producing groundbreaking technological solutions to our sustainability challenges. Now more than ever, it’s imperative that we bring the UAE’s leading organizations together to work cohesively on ensuring a more green and circular economy."
She added: "This Majlis centers around two very important pillars: the role of technology in tackling key environmental challenges, and the way in which SMEs can be a driving force in building a more sustainable economy."
Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: "For the first time on this platform, we have brought together SMEs and investors to engage on an intimate scale with the aim of establishing tangible investment opportunities for our private sector partners. We seek to continue on this note, and turn our gathering into a network that facilitates sustainable investment and empowers SMEs to scale up their environment-oriented projects. Based on the outcomes of today’s session, we plan to create a regular series of events where we connect with SMEs to ensure their survival in this fast-paced economy, and we see this evolving into a national project in the future.'' ''We envision the Majlis as a meeting place for large local enterprises, where they can work together on ventures that put money in their pockets and direct our economy towards a more sustainable path at the same time."
Highlighting the importance of technology and AI in the field of sustainability, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Teleworking Applications, said: "Creating an environment conducive to the growth of emerging businesses focusing on the green economy and environmental sustainability is a core priority for the UAE government and a key driver of the country’s global leadership in futuristic knowledge-based economy areas."
He added: "The UAE government is keen to invest in future-oriented ideas and projects that leverage innovation and modern technology to achieve tangible progress in the country’s environmental and sustainability efforts. Boosting green economy requires an integrated infrastructure that supports environmental ventures using cutting-edge technologies, particularly AI, that can contribute to environmental sustainability through reducing the carbon footprint of businesses, thus ensuring a better future for the upcoming generation."
Eng Waleed Salman, Vice Chairman of WGEO, said: "We believe that sustainable business practices have the potential to boost SMEs’ growth in the UAE economy. WGEO as a host to the Global Compact Network in the UAE aims to support the private sector in raising their corporate ambition and aligning with the SDGs to integrate social and environmental best practices into their business strategies."
He added: "We look forward to the future outcomes of the Business Majlis series, and enhancing the engagement between the government and the private sector here in the UAE."
For his part, Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of DFF, stressed the importance of exploring, studying, and building on future opportunities in environmental sustainability, and enhancing investment in startups within this field, given their role in strengthening the economy as well as supporting the country’s sustainable development goals.
He said: "The Foundation provides a unique innovation ecosystem that promotes collaborations and meaningful public-private partnerships, facilitates startup growth and acceleration, and encourages the testing and use of innovate technologies in creating new solutions for various sectors, including the environment, contributing to the UAE’s leading position in developing a diversified, sustainable economy."
Launched in 2016, the Environment Business Majlis is an MOCCAE-led platform connecting the government and the private sector in the UAE to align companies’ business goals with the country’s environmental strategies. The Majlis paves the way for a green economy through encouraging businesses to expand their sustainability portfolios.
