From Solar to Green Hydrogen: Addressing Climate Change at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi

The World Future Energy Summit is currently being held in Abu Dhabi, where heavy rains in the Arabian Gulf region underscore the importance of addressing climate change and its consequences. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan opened the summit with a commendation of recent efforts to launch a road map aimed at limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This plan was developed by the presidencies of the Conference of the Parties, including the UAE, Azerbaijan, and Brazil, emphasizing the need for significant financing to achieve this goal.

She highlighted the importance of collaboration and dialogue among diverse voices to find innovative solutions to climate challenges. Blended finance, a mechanism that combines concessional public financing with public or private capital, was identified as a key tool for addressing climate change. A recent analysis in the Middle East and North Africa region showed that total committed blended financing amounts to $14.2 billion, with climate-related transactions totaling around $7 billion.

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency, stressed the urgency of identifying energy transition priorities and taking immediate steps to triple renewable energy production capacity to at least 11 terawatts by 2030. Boris Johnson praised the UAE’s role in technological innovation and hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference, calling it a victory for climate neutrality.

Dr. Bertrand Picard, a Swiss explorer and clean technology ambassador, discussed his latest expedition powered by green hydrogen, aiming to sail around the world in a plane fueled by renewable energy. This follows his historic solar-powered aircraft flight around the world in 2015. The General Manager of RX Middle East and chair of the summit, Lynn Al-Sibai, highlighted