Museum of the Future: Climate Future Week to begin on Sept 26

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Climate Future Week organised by the Museum of the Future in collaboration with Dubai-based interdisciplinary think tank, Fiker Institute, will begin on September 26 and run until September 30.

The event will see more than 30 spokespeople including government ministers, senior officials leading business leaders, and sustainability experts from the UAE and across the world participate in 20 main sessions held over three days.

The event also includes six workshops and three activations including a Climate Start-up Majlis, Climate Film Festival, and photography exhibition.

Climate Future Week aligns with the ‘Year of Sustainability’ and takes place as the UAE prepares to host the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai this coming November.

The events and dialogues at Climate Future Week will focus on three main pillars, including the future of climate action and the role of technology, the next generation of climate solutions and the role of entrepreneurship in developing new innovations supporting climate resilience, and the importance of enhancing climate awareness and human behaviour to achieve climate goals.

Events at Climate Future Week

The activities of the first day will open with a speech by Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, focused on the roadmap ahead for climate action, followed by Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, who will discuss the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and sustainable tourism.

Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, DG of Emirates Nature-WWF will discuss innovation in nature conservation, and Najib Saab, secretary general of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development, will review the environmental future of the Arab world.

Toby Gregory, founder of the Plastic Pledge and founder of the Arabian Ocean Rowing team will discuss his inspirational ‘Row To COP’ expedition and Dr Markus Eriksen co-founder at 5 Gyres Institute will review the scientific solutions addressing plastic pollution.

Alzainah Al Babtain, an organic gardening enthusiast and a Guinness World Record Holder, as well as Will Bennett, landscape architect and founder of WILDEN, will share their perspectives during their sessions.

Day one will close with a ‘Climate Negotiations’ workshop in collaboration with Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, as well as the opportunity for visitors to watch three short films focused on sustainability and view a special Climate Photography Exhibition featuring three Emirati photographers.

The second day will then kick off with a discussion between Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Dr Thani Alzeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, who will share his views on the future of sustainable global trade in Dubai.

Other key sessions at the event will focus on sustainable architecture, with a presentation from Arthur Huang, CEO and Founder of MINIWIZ honing in on the UAE’s efforts in revolutionising architecture, Dr Ayesha Abdulla Alkhoori, material scientist and engineer, presenting on ‘Converting Carbon Dioxide for A Greener Future’, Andrew Dana Hudson, author, researcher and imaginary college fellow at the ASU Center for Science and the Imagination, and Wael Al Awar, architect and founding partner of waiwai, reviewing climate-conscious designs and creative responsibility.

The last day of Climate Future Week will begin with a countdown to COP28 discussion between Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 and International Union for Conservation of Nature President moderated by Emirati author, Rhodes Scholar, and founder of Fiker Institute Dubai Abulhoul.