ADVOCACY: Championing a sustainable planet for today and future generations

The World Future Energy Summit strives for a cleaner, greener tomorrow – and knowledge and collaboration are our most powerful currencies to propel the world forward

Rising risks, missed milestones, funding frustrations – the global climate crisis continues to loom large in both the media headlines and the minds of billions of people worldwide. And yet, despite the difficulties involved, faster progress towards a sustainable climate future is being made, thanks to the accelerating pace of the global clean energy transition. However, there is much more work to be done, and events that serve as bridges between the world’s leading political, technological and commercial actors are more important than ever. 

Enter the World Future Energy Summit – the leading international event for accelerating sustainability and the global transition to clean energy. Now approaching its 17th edition, the three-day summit has evolved to become an industry thought leader and a unique platform for inspirational change. At the World Future Energy Summit, industry influencers, governments, private-sector companies, problem solvers and cutting-edge solutions all come together to create the blueprints for a sustainable future.

The Middle East is a fulcrum for faster energy decarbonisation

In the Middle East– like many other regions – we are seeing a rapidly increasing need for innovations that can help combat climate change. Faced with growing desertification, increasing air pollution, food and water security risks, and threats to the marine and coastal environments, the region is witnessing a surge in initiatives that seek to restore degraded lands, generate energy from renewables and reduce the impact of human activity on our ecosystems. 

Not only is the Middle East a focal point for the devastating effects of climate change, it is also an incubator for clean energy solutions and innovations that drive the industry forward. Given its ideal conditions for solar and wind power generation, its increasingly advanced logistical infrastructure and capabilities, and a prime geographical location suitable for serving Europe, Asia and Africa, the Middle East is destined to play a central role in the ‘decarbonisation era’ of the global energy industry.

To this end, the World Future Energy Summit creates unparalleled opportunities to turn these natural and human-made advantages into more rapid (and more tangible) progress. It is an event that bridges the gap between policy and action, elevating the power of face-to-face interactions by giving every attendee the ability to learn deeply about relevant markets, source the right products and forge meaningful partnerships. 

Beyond being an industry event, the World Future Energy Summit is dedicated to making a positive impact on society. The intention is to encourage the kind of business partnerships, innovations and knowledge exchange that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and COP28 agreements – the most recent of which has only served to increase our relevance. We are also paying close attention to ‘The COP Presidencies Troika’, which was launched at COP28 in partnership with the COP29 (Azerbaijan) and COP30 (Brazil) presidencies. This is a groundbreaking initiative to support Mission 1.5°C by “maintaining momentum, locking in continuity and anchoring implementation”. More specifically, all three presidencies will collaborate until 2030 (and beyond) to raise ambition levels across all pillars of the Paris Agreement, to “course correct” the world’s climate response. This is in perfect alignment with our efforts at home; by the end of the decade, the United Arab Emirates aims to secure its ambitious target of generating a total clean energy capacity of 19.8 gigawatts, a stepping stone to achieving a net-zero economy by 2050.

Also elevating the summit’s status are our partnerships with key industry bodies, including the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. We were honoured to have IRENA’s director-general join us at last year’s World Future Energy Summit opening, where the United Nations Industrial Development Organization announced its latest green fund as part of the summit’s Green Finance Forum, while also presenting a case study on eMobility.

Looking ahead to 2025

The World Future Energy Summit is vast not only in scope, but also in scale. In 2023, it welcomed more than 30,000 attendees from 128 countries, bringing in more than 3,000 C-level executives as well as project management, operational, technical and financial experts driving clean energy and sustainability projects in the Middle East and North Africa region. 

For the 2024 summit, despite the UAE having to grapple with widespread flooding resulting from the region’s worst storm in 75 years, 16,000 attendees were still in attendance, including representatives from 450 companies and organisations – 22% higher than last year. If anything, this illustrates that despite the rising threat of climate change, the resolve of politicians, academics, business leaders and innovators is stronger than ever. As we look towards 2025 – the midpoint in a crucial decade for the clean energy transition – we can do so with a renewed sense of hope. The 2024 summit showed that momentum continues to build behind solar, wind and green hydrogen adoption. Even short-term supply constraints or periodic investment uncertainties cannot stall the broader trends of accelerating adoption of clean energy production and its ever-increasing efficiency gains. 

At the World Future Energy Summit 2025, the very latest developments in clean energy will be explored in detail across our well-established range of expos and forums. These platforms are essential hubs for knowledge exchange and the showcasing of emerging technologies, methodologies, opportunities and shift-changes that will come to define a new era of sustainability. From solar production to water security, Eco waste management, smart city development and much more, these events hosted within the summit are your gateway to understanding how the world’s wider sustainability efforts are converging at pace.

The latest edition of the World Future Energy Summit will take place between 14–16 January 2025. It promises to be a landmark event, since it will be held during a crucial period when the world, more than ever, needs smart, sustainable solutions to tackle an unprecedented set of challenges.