https://arab.news/gzbqt
- Royal founded several organizations to boost Middle East sustainability
ABU DHABI: The UAE’s Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan met experts at the London School of Economics and Political Science on Monday to discuss climate change research, Emirates News Agency reported.
Sheikha Shamma, founder and CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability, visited the LSE’s Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, founded in 2008 to bring together international experts on finance, geography, international development and political economy to address climate change.
The UAE royal is an accomplished business leader, philanthropist and published author. She founded several organizations that are accelerating the Middle East’s sustainability agenda, and was instrumental in developing the UAE’s circular climate economy approach as well as promoting gender-balanced boards.
Sheikha Shamma took part in high-level discussions with Grantham Research Institute Chairman Lord Nicholas Stern, Policy and Communications Director Bob Ward, Senior Policy Fellow Josh Burke and Grantham Research Institute Research Fellow Viktor Roezer.
The talks focused on how Sheikha Shamma’s extensive work in the field of sustainability and the environment could align with the institute’s work, and contribute to shaping global climate change policies.
All parties emphasized the importance of strategic collaboration in mobilizing funding for sustainability initiatives from the public and private sectors, as well as the critical role of upcoming UN Climate Change conferences (COP27 and COP28) in Egypt later this year and the UAE in 2023.
The parties agreed that COP28, in particular, would serve as a global opportunity for governments to assess progress in meeting net-zero targets.
A mutual commitment was agreed on by the attendees to create a framework to grow energy-saving climate projects in the UK and UAE.
“The climate crisis poses an irreversible threat to our planet and it is imperative that we seek new avenues to manage and mitigate the effects as much as possible through mutual collaboration,” Sheikha Shamma said.
“It was an honor to be invited to visit the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and witness, firsthand, the incredible work being done to identify and implement long-term solutions in tackling climate change. I look forward to continuing these discussions and welcoming the LSE team to the Middle East for the upcoming COP conferences,” she added
Ward said: “It was a great pleasure to meet Sheikha Shamma and to hear about her plans to promote more investment in sustainability. She is clearly very passionate about her work. We look forward to exploring potential areas of collaboration and support.”
In addition to her role as CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability, Sheikha Shamma is co-founder of Aurora50 and founder of Circle of Hope foundation.
She also serves on the board of advisers of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy.
The Emirates Green Building Council named her honorary president in 2020