DEWA empowers youth to play leadership roles in climate action

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is committed to empowering the youth, honing their skills, and encouraging them to work in clean and renewable energy.

DEWA enables them to be active partners that drive positive change, accelerate the energy transition, and support net zero. It supports the participation of the youth in global events and empowers them to continue the path of development. It is working to consolidate the position of the UAE, which is at the forefront of countries that give special attention to youth.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD CEO of DEWA, stated, “We are keen to support the wise vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the UAE’s global competitiveness by investing in Emirati youth and empowering them and developing their leadership to become the next generation of sustainability leaders.

“We are committed to the UAE’s leading model of empowering the youth to lead climate action. We continue to cooperate with various public and private organisations to strengthen the participation of the youth, listen to their ideas, empower them with knowledge, technologies, skills, and opportunities, and support their initiatives in climate action. We believe in the youth’s ability to provide innovative insights from new angles to develop solutions for climate change.”

Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA, emphasised that the utility is committed to refining Emirati competencies and young talents and developing the capabilities of the next generation of sustainability leaders and young innovators. This is achieved through the DEWA Academy and our partnerships with several notable universities and research centres worldwide. DEWA has also launched various innovative programmes promoting research and development among youth.

DEWA supports its Youth Council in performing its role in creating communication bridges with the youth and encouraging their positive participation at all levels. From October 2019 until the end of August 2023, DEWA’s Youth Council launched several initiatives to strengthen cooperation with youth councils across the UAE and launched more than ten communication platforms with youth employees. The Council organised more than 73 events, nearly 20 awareness sessions, four educational trips, and field visits. It also participated in seven international forums and conferences and conducted eight benchmarking visits with various government and private organisations.

Many of its youths represented DEWA in international fora, including the International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference in Nagoya, Japan; Young Professionals Programme (YPP) launched by Academy and Capacity Building (IEC), and the Ambassador of the Emirati National Identity initiative launched by Watani Al Emarat Foundation. Vice President of DEWA’s Youth Council was selected to be a member of the Dubai Youth Council and DEWA’s Youth Council President received the Dubai Medal for Young Employee at the Dubai Government Excellence Awards 2021. This highlights the role of the Youth Council in achieving national plans.

The Dubai Youth Council, in cooperation with DEWA Youth Council, organised a Youth Circle under the theme “Towards a Sustainable Future” to discuss environmental sustainability and the vital role of global collaboration and COP28 in facing the challenges of climate change. The event also discussed the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which seeks to transform Dubai into one of the world’s smartest and most sustainable cities.

DEWA’s Youth Council held six awareness events in July and August. It held a panel discussion in collaboration with DEWA’s Innovation Centre and the Federal Youth Authority. The discussion focused on developing the future skills of the youth, especially in digital transformation, sustainability, green economy, entrepreneurship, and future industries. It saw the participation of experts from the Dubai Future Foundation, the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO), and Moro Hub, a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, the digital arm of DEWA.

DEWA also staged a Youth Circle entitled “Today’s Legacy for Tomorrow’s Generations”, in collaboration with the Watani Al Emarat Foundation, DEWA Youth Council, and the Dubai Youth Council, hosted by DEWA’s Innovation Centre. The Circle saw the participation of DEWA youth and highlighted the efforts of DEWA and the Watani Al Emarat Foundation in accelerating sustainability and climate action. It raised awareness of social responsibility and the role of the youth in finding innovative solutions for current and future challenges, preserving natural resources, and creating a sustainable positive impact to achieve the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

The 9th World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2023, organised by DEWA, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE), and WGEO, hosted a panel discussion titled “Youth Education and Engagement: Fostering a Generation of Green Economy Leaders”. The session featured some of the brightest young voices pushing for a greener world. WGES also hosted a youth circle under the theme “Involving Future Generations in Advancing Sustainable Development and the Green Economy”.

During the 25th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show (DSS) 2023, organised by DEWA, graduates of the DEWA Sustainability Youth Ambassadors Programme, launched in cooperation with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), conducted sessions on clean energy technologies. The programme aims to prepare DEWA’s next generation of sustainability leaders to drive sustainability and a green economy. The Education and Innovation Zone at WETEX hosted 19 discussion panels and interactive workshops.

Higher education students, youth professionals, and industry leaders will gather at these events to exchange insights and knowledge on various topics. These include the future of digitalisation, innovative solutions to achieve net zero, the future of mobility, empowering the next generation of climate leaders, climate change, sustainability, accelerating the growth of start-ups, sustainable cities, and sustainable lifestyles, practical steps to reduce environmental impact, the latest in water sustainability technologies, and more.