BLOG: The NEP Experience

December 2

Afra Al Meheiri, Technical Clubs Development Specialist for the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and NEP 2.0 graduate, led a discussion on how sports organizations in the UAE are engaging in climate action by taking responsibility for their climate footprint with Ismael Matar, a former UAE National Football Team member and Her Excellency Dr. Omniyat Al Hajeri, Executive Director - Community Health Sector, ADPHC.

NEP Fellow Abdulla Alshehhi, Head of Strategic Research, at the UAE Space Agency, and Andrew Zolli, Chief Impact Officer, Planet Labs, discussed the partnership between the UAE Space Agency and Planet Labs uses satellite data to construct an innovative loss and damage atlas to help the most vulnerable countries better confront the challenges posed by climate change. 

NEP Fellow Waheeda Alhadhrami, Director of National Cultural and Creative Industries Promotion Department, Ministry of Culture and Youth, moderated a discussion with Antonia Carver, Director of Art Jameel, about how artists, non-profits and cultural organizations in the UAE are experimenting with innovative approaches to tackle the challenges related to climate change. 

December 3

Fatima Al-Ali, Project Manager at Mubadala Health and NEP 3.0 graduate, and Maha AlShehhi, member of SDG Youth Council, discussed effective wellbeing policies and initiatives can improve sustainability and raise the resilience in individuals, communities, and nations.

December 4

NEP Fellows Hadif Abdullah Zamzam, Senior Associate - Value Creation, Disruptive Investments, Mubadala Investment Company, and Ali Al Shimmari, International Assets Manager - GCC, TAQA discussed the importance of making sustainable finance a strategic priority for the UAE, and how the shift towards sustainability constitutes a cultural and economic challenge.

December 5 

NEP Fellow Waheeda Alhadhrami emphasized the role of creative industries in shaping consumer attitudes and behaviors towards sustainability on a panel moderated by Axel Threlfall of Reuters, and featured speakers Sebastian Munden of Ad Net Zero and Preyah Shah of Reuters.

NEP 2.0 graduate Azza AlRaisi, Senior Specialist, Sustainability at ADNOC, was part of a discussion on keeping sustainability at the forefront of corporate strategies with moderator Abdulla Al Ammari of ADNOC; Amna Al Zaabi, Rigless Supervisor at  ADNOC; Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi, CEO of GSA Global; Ahmed Aljasmi, Customer Service Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Group; and Vriko Yu, CEO of Archireef. 

December 6

Hamad Al Shehhi, Investment Manager for ADQ (NEP 3.0), led a discussion on the challenges of sustainably feeding its growing population with Murilo Parada, Chief Sustainability Officer at Louis Dreyfus Company; Irina Gerry, MCO at Change Foods; and  Dr. Shamal Mohammed, AgriTech Director at Silal. 

December 9

NEP Fellow Ali Alshimmari, International Assets Manager - GCC, TAQA, and H.E. Sharif Salim Al-Olama, Undersecretary, Energy and Petroleum Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, discussed how the UAE needs to mobilize greater cooperation to accelerate its clean energy transition. 

The National Experts Program community had a large presence at the COP28 climate summit with members of the NEP community being at the forefront of driving discussions that can help address the pressing climate challenges.

COP28 was the largest attended climate COP in history, bringing together 97,000 delegates, more than 150 heads of state, along with negotiators, business leaders and non-state actors to Dubai. NEP hosted 15 sessions at the climate conference from December 1 to December 10, with 12 NEP Fellows or alumni in speaking roles at one or more sessions.

Among the sessions was a discussion of energy transition in the UAE with NEP 2.0 Fellow Ali Alshimmari, International Assets Manager - GCC, TAQA, and His Excellency Sharif Salim Al-Olama, Undersecretary, Energy and Petroleum Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. The pair discussed the investments in renewable energy resources and vast land expanses that can make the UAE a competitive low-emissions solar, wind and green hydrogen supplier by 2030.

The other topics that the NEP community highlighted at COP28 include the role of creative industries in influencing climate policies; conservation and biodiversity; cultural diplomacy; and sustainable food systems. 

Those NEP alumni with roles in the sessions included: NEP 1.0 fellows Mariam Almeraikhi, Abdulla Al Remethi and Hadif Abdullah Zamzam; NEP 2.0 fellows Meera Al Mheiri and Ali Alshimmari; NEP 2.0 graduates Afra Al Meheiri and Azza AlRaisi; NEP 3.0 fellows Waheeda Alhadhrami and Abdulla Alshehhi; and NEP 3.0 graduates Fatima Al-Ali, Eman Al Mughairy and Hamad Al Shehhi.