POWER THROUGH WOMEN WOMEN IN SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

Transcription

1 POWER THROUGH WOMEN WOMEN IN SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT AND RENEWABLE ENERGY #

2 Nothing could delight me more than to see the woman taking up her distinctive position in society. Nothing should hinder her progress. The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Founding father of the United Arab Emirates

3 THE WOMEN IN SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT AND RENEWABLE ENERGY () INITIATIVE Recognising the pivotal role women play in advancing sustainable development, Masdar, Abu Dhabi s renewable energy company, and the Zayed Future Energy Prize, have established Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy () to empower and inspire women to be catalysts of innovation and the drivers of commercial solutions that will address climate change and the secure access of food, energy and water. There have already been several forums held across the world to promote the role women play in industries related to sustainability and clean technologies. These forums provide a platform for free and open dialogue, where women in the industry can engage with each other on issues of career and corporate mobility, gender equality, and entrepreneurship. also serves as a pathway for women to gain real-world experience and to build the right skills necessary to be entrepreneurial leaders of industry, and excel in the new emerging fields of renewable energy and sustainability. Our success in engaging women globally through successful initiatives such as the Zayed Future Energy Prize, demonstrates that women thrive when presented with opportunities to participate in new renewable energy companies and technologies from the start. We have witnessed women emerge as entrepreneurs and community leaders while transforming their communities as they expand access to clean and sustainable energy. It is a known fact that climate change disproportionately affects women. This is especially true in developing countries that, ironically, have contributed minimally to global emissions, yet experience its greatest impact. Dependent on natural resources for survival, women in these regions have primary family and community responsibility for accessing water, food and energy. As drought, uncertain rainfall, and deforestation compromise their families security, they are becoming critical partners and leaders in finding solutions to sustainable development. was founded to help empower women and young girls to serve the vital role of mitigating climate change and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future. Positioned at the core of the challenges posed by climate change, women and young girls are central to new, innovative solutions that can create economic opportunities yet have minimal impact on the environment. To overcome the challenges posed by uneven energy access, accelerated and sustainable economic growth, and climate change, women must occupy more roles in government, engineering, media, politics and science. Your interest, support and engagement in will help give a pulse to our mission, and I urge you to join us as we expand this important initiative. There are several areas through which you or your organisation can be involved with. We are actively looking for organisations to partner with on our education and training opportunities, as well as women who are keen to share in the benefits from any of our programmes. If these topics interest you, please contact us at wiser@masdar.ae Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany, Director of Sustainability at Masdar and Director of the Zayed Future Energy Prize

4 EMPOWERED WOMEN DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES COUNTRIES EMPOWERING WOMEN WILL REALIZE LONG-TERM SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS. THE CHALLENGE: With the world s population expected to reach nine billion by 2050, we must develop innovative and sustainable solutions to combat climate change. Women, who account for more than half of the world s population, are critical to pioneering new technologies and driving commercial solutions. However, traditionally the opportunities for women to overall economic growth have lagged behind men in most countries. THE SOLUTION: Empower women to embark on careers in the growing renewable energy industry. By reducing the productivity gap between genders empowers women, mitigates poverty and increases prosperity for all. The benefit of women entering the economic mainstream is well understood. Yet women are under-represented in many industry sectors and particularly in the fields critical to sustainability. Climate change is gender neutral but its impact is not. Women are on the front lines addressing the challenges posed by sustainability. They are key to removing the global barriers to accessing energy and are fundamental to achieving sustainability for all

5 I am committed to continue working relentlessly to ensure that women remain fundamental partners in the growth and development process. Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women s Union (GWU), Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, UAE This is your own life, if you want to succeed, be confident in your ability to succeed, be loyal, develop your communication skills, and be ready to compromise when time comes. It s the overall result that will count, be ready to sustain this over time and one day you will be considered a role model yourself. Marie José Nadeau, Chair, World Energy Council The support of women leaders, who advocate sustainability, is a priority to the UAE and Dubai Expo The forum is a platform where and how women s empowerment can work to address viable sustainability initiatives. Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State and Director General, Bureau Dubai Expo 2020 will serve as a network that connects aspiring engineers, recent graduates and those looking for employment opportunities with real-world projects and companies operating in the energy, technology or sustainability sector, and it s one that I am proud to support. Deb Frodl, Global Executive Director of Ecomagination at GE Advancing gender equality is not only the right thing to do, it s the economically smart thing to do. Rachel Kyte, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank

6 AN INITIATIVE TO EMPOWER WOMEN AND DRIVE CHANGE WOMEN ARE CENTRAL TO SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITIES OF CLIMATE ACTION. Founded by Masdar, Abu Dhabi s renewable energy company, and the Zayed Future Energy Prize, endeavours to mentor, empower and inspire women to be catalysts of innovation, industry leaders and drivers of commercial solutions. The action-orientated initiative aims to: Address the lack of female representation in the rewewable energy industry, which creates inefficiencies. Empower women of all ages to create a meaningful impact by building more sustainable communities while increasing access to renewable energy. Ensure that women are in positions of leadership to help develop innovation solutions to address the growing challenges of energy security, access to clean water and climate change. To achieve these objectives, the initiative has built a platform to promote the role women play in industries related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). At its core, exists to encourage greater female participation in STEM fields and share knowledge with young women through mentorships and industry opportunities

7 AN INITIATIVE SUPPORTING WOMEN S GLOBAL IMPACT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LEAVE THE TALENT OF WOMEN UNTAPPED. Society will benefit greatly from women contributing more equally to economic growth. Minimizing productivity gap between genders empowers women, mitigates poverty, and increases prosperity for all. Other positive outcomes include: The renewable energy sector will benefit from women holding a higher profile: Women are underrepresented across the renewable energy project s entire value chain in an inefficient and unsustainable manner. The community will benefit from women emerging as entrepreneurs and leaders: By expanding access to clean renewable energy, women transform their communities and create meaningful impact. The success of Zayed Future Energy Prize demonstrates this. Global challenges will be more effectively faced with women influencing change: Women occupying more decision making roles in government, engineering and science is a large part of the solution to meeting the challenges of energy security, access to water and climate change

8 AN INITIATIVE DESIGNED FOR ACTION WOMEN ARE CATALYSTS FOR INNOVATION. DIALOGUE TO INSPIRE ACTION regularly brings women leaders, of all levels and backgrounds, to an open forum aimed at facilitating a dialogue, fostering practical solutions and inspiring more women to be active in the fields of technology and renewable energy. was initiated in January 2015 at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Since its introduction, side events have been led at forums including the United Nation s Sustainable Energy for All Conference in New York in April 2015 and during the UN General Assembly during September Momentum will continue to build during COP21 and into 2016, starting with the annual Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January

9 ACTION THROUGH EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND EXPOSURE OFFERS THREE INTEGRATED PROGRAMME TRACKS TO EDUCATE AND TRAIN YOUNG GIRLS AND WOMEN: IS BOTH A PLATFORM FOR DIALOGUE, NEW THINKING AND THOUGHTPROVOKING IDEAS, AS WELL AS A PATHWAY FOR WOMEN TO GAIN REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE. The platform is built around the following four key areas: EDUCATION INCUBATING TALENT THROUGH HIGHER LEARNING understands that education forms the foundations of knowledge and skill development. That is why as an initiative it strives to provide a platform and opportunity for women to participation in programmes designed to further their education in fields related to renewable energy and sustainability. It is here that s partnership arrangements, that provide educational opportunities and mentorships, ensure that women and young girls are given the right opportunities to become the future shapers of policy and the drivers of key industries. EDUCATION EXPIRIENCE DIALOGE EXPOSURE EXPOSURE DIALOGUE holds regular global events that bring together women leaders in renewable energy. EDUCATION We facilitate and encourage a greater women participation in educational programmes related to renewable energy and sustainability. EDUCATION EXPIRIENCE DIALOGE EXPOSURE EXPOSURE EXPOSURE INSPIRING AND TRAINING FUTURE LEADERS Nowadays, the world needs to coach the youth of today into leaders of tomorrow. The Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) programme, led by Masdar Institute, offers young professionals and students from the UAE and abroad the opportunity to become more engaged in finding solutions to the world s biggest challenges. In partnership with Young Future Energy Leaders, has developed a curriculum to train women with the right skills (from soft skills to sector knowledge) to inspire and expose them to the growing, exciting careers available in energy, technology and sustainability. EDUCATION EXPIRIENCE DIALOGE EXPOSURE EXPOSURE EDUCATION EXPIRIENCE DIALOGE EXPOSURE EXPOSURE EXPOSURE Through our different platforms we position our expert women by facilitating speaking and media engagement opportunities. EXPERIENCE Through our network we facilitate access to training programmes in leading organizations and companies in the fields of sustainability and renewable energy. EXPERIENCE BROKERING INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS is a network that connects women (aspiring engineers, recent graduates and those looking for employment opportunities) with real-world projects and companies operating in the energy, technology or sustainability sector. Opportunities include three to six month internships that offer women hands-on job training and the experience to enhance their careers

10 THE INITIATIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBERS INCLUDE TOP RANKING OFFICIALS AND EXECUTIVES FROM ORGANISATIONS ADVANCING THE ROLE WOMEN PLAY IN RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE H.E. ADNAN Z. AMIN His Excellency Adnan Z. Amin is the Director- General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). In this capacity, he is responsible for leading the Agency in the implementation of its mandate to promote the adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy worldwide. His Excellency has over 25 years of experience in multilateral diplomacy and direct engagement in promoting the global development and socio-economic agenda, including sustainable development. H.E. DR. SULTAN AHMED AL JABER His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber is a Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and member of the federal cabinet. As Minister of State, he represents the UAE government and its interests on domestic and international matters. As Energy CEO at Mubadala, Dr. Al Jaber oversees the company s oil and gas interests as well as its renewable energy portfolio. He is also the former CEO and now Chairman of Masdar, one of the leading global renewable energy companies. H.E. AMBASSADOR LANA NUSSEIBEH Her Excellency Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh was appointed Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations (UN) in New York in September In this role, she works to advance the UAE s multilateral priorities at the UN, in particular on regional peace and security issues, humanitarian assistance, women s empowerment, sustainable development and human rights. H.E. RAZAN KHALIFA AL MUBARAK Her Excellency Razan Al Mubarak is the Secretary-General of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), Abu Dhabi s environmental regulatory authority, established with the objective of protecting and conserving the environment as well as promoting sustainable development. An influential leader and an inspiration to women around the world, she is Managing Director of the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with the WWF (EWSWWF) as well as The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund. DR. BEHJAT AL YOUSUF As Provost of Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf has over 22 years of experience in higher education and in empowering UAE nationals in the fields of science and technology. Throughout her career, Dr. Al Yousuf has led strategies to deliver high quality education to UAE national women and foster the increase of Emirati women in the technological workforce to above 90% through industry partnerships. H.E. DR. THANI AL-ZEYOUDI His Excellency Dr. Thani Al-Zeyoudi is the Permanent Representative of the UAE to the IRENA. Dr. Thani is also the Head of the Directorate of Energy and Climate Change DECC within the UAE s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he leads the team tasked with representing UAE interests internationally in energy and climate change issues as well as working as a catalyst to domestic partners to develop UAE policies in sustainability. DR. GRO HARLEM BRUNDTLAND Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland is a former Prime Minister of Norway, and currently Special Envoy on Climate Change with the United Nations, and the Deputy Chair of The Elders. She is a qualified medical doctor, has served as a physician, a Social Democratic politician and a diplomat, and is now an international leader in sustainable development and public health. Dr. Brundtland served as Norway s Prime Minister for a total of 10 years, and as a Director General of the UN World Health Organization

11 THE INITIATIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL THE ADVISORY COUNCIL CONVENES ANNUALLY IN NEW YORK, DURING THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND AGAIN IN ABU DHABI DURING ABU DHABI SUSTAINABILITY WEEK. MARIE-JOSÉ NADEAU Marie-José Nadeau, a leader in the energy industry, took responsibility as the first woman Chair in the history of the World Energy Council at the World Energy Congress Marie-José sits on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon s Advisory Board on Sustainable Energy for All; the Advisory Council of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA); and China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC) Initiative. She is also Vice President of the Selection Committee for the Zayed Future Energy Prize, based in the UAE, and a committee member of the Leadership Excellence for Women Awards (LEWA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. DEB FRODL Deb Frodl is the Global Executive Director of Ecomagination. A 26-year GE veteran, Deb Frodl leads GE Ecomagination, the company s business strategy to accelerate innovation and growth in a resource constrained world through efficient and intelligent solutions. In this role, Deb was named the Women s Council on Energy and Environment (WCEE) 2014 Woman of the Year. DYMPHNA VAN DER LANS An exceptional leader in her field and a role model to women around the world, Dymphna Van der Lans serves as the CEO of the Clinton Climate Initiative, where she oversees climate and energy related programmes within the Foundation. The US Department of Energy selected Dymphna as one of its inaugural ambassadors of its Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) initiative, which aims to advance the careers and leadership of professional women in the field of clean energy. RACHEL KYTE Rachel Kyte is World Bank Group Vice President and Special Envoy for Climate Change. As a leading advocate for action to combat climate change because of its intrinsic link to poverty and development, Ms. Kyte is the leading figure for the World Bank Group in efforts to campaign for an ambitious agreement at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCC this December. She is leading work on climate change adaptation, mitigation, climate finance, and disaster risk and resilience across the institutions of the World Bank Group. DR. KANDEH K. YUMKELLA Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella is a global development leader and co-founder of the African Energy Leaders Group (AELG). Dr. Yumkella is currently a presidential flag bearer candidate for the opposition Sierra Leone People s Party. Previously, he served the UN as Under Secretary- General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and the pioneer CEO of the initiative. He also chaired UN-Energy, the coordination body of United Nations agencies dealing with energy related issues. MICHAEL LIEBREICH Michael Liebreich is Chairman of the Advisory Board and Founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the world s leading provider of information on clean energy to investors, energy companies and governments. Michael founded the company as New Energy Finance in 2004 and acted as Chairman and Chief Executive until its acquisition by Bloomberg in Michael serves on the UN Secretary General s High-Level Group on Sustainable Energy for All. PROGRAMME DIRECTOR DR. NAWAL AL-HOSANY Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany is the programme director for the UAE-led Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy (), where she is in charge of setting the strategic direction of the initiative. She serves on the Troika Plus of Women Leaders on Gender and Climate Change, and has been named Arab Woman of the Year 2015 in the energy category. Previously, she served as the first-ever female deputy director of the Abu Dhabi Police. Dr. Al-Hosany concurrently serves as the director of sustainability for Masdar, Abu Dhabi s renewable energy company, where she leads a team that develops Masdar s standards and policies, as well as auditing and monitoring systems. She also serves as the director of the Zayed Future Energy Prize

12 THE INITIATIVE - WOMEN S PATHWAY FOR INNOVATION ABOUT MASDAR Masdar is Abu Dhabi s renewable energy company which works to advance the development, commercialisation and deployment of clean energy technologies and solutions in the United Arab Emirates and around the world. The company serves as a link between today s fossil fuel economy and the energy economy of the future. Wholly owned by the Mubadala Development Company PJSC, the strategic investment company of the Government of Abu Dhabi, Masdar is dedicated to the Emirates long-term vision for the future of energy and water. ABOUT ZAYED FUTURE ENERGY PRIZE The Zayed Future Energy Prize is an annual award celebrating achievements that reflect impact, innovation, long-term vision and leadership in renewable energy and sustainability. The Prize also awards grants to high schools across the world committed to advancing sustainability through projects that promote renewable energy, improvements in energy or water efficiency, or a reduction in waste. wants your involvement. We are actively looking to build partnerships, receive your feedback and work together to advance women and the role that they play in our society. PO Box 54115, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, T , E info@masdar.ae PO Box 54115, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, T , E info@zayedfutureenergyprize.com

13 masdar.ae/wiser