Thursday, January 20, 2011

Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Meets Young Future Energy Leaders at WFES



Abu Dhabi-UAE: January 20, 2011 – On the third day of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES), Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, met with the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL), an initiative led by Masdar Institute.

Christiana Figueres, said: “Creating solutions to the climate change issues facing the world must involve the next generation. The Masdar Institute’s Young Future Energy Leaders are the brightest young minds interested in working in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability, and we need to engage with them at an early stage to ensure they are helping us create future energy solutions.”

YFEL’s program at WFES 2011 has so far included an address to the YFEL by Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General and visits to the stand by HRH Princess Victoria of Sweden, and Dr Susan Hockfield, President of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Please find attached the following photo for publication and distribution:


Photo Figueres.jpg - His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO, Masdar, and Dr Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, with the Young Future Energy Leaders on day three of the World Future Energy Summit

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About Young Future Energy Leaders

YFEL is a key element of the annual World Future Energy Summit (WFES), held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). YFEL focuses on raising the awareness of students and young professionals in the fields of renewable energy and sustainability. This unique program, led by Masdar Institute, helps mentor future leaders in the fields of alternative energy by engaging them with the leaders of today. YFEL also 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: energy efficiency and climate change.

Since its inception in 2008, WFES has evolved as the world’s foremost and must-attend annual meeting for the renewable energy and environment industry. In 2010 WFES uniquely brought together over 24,760 attendees from 148 countries including world leaders, international policy makers, industry leaders, investors, experts, academia, intellectuals and journalists to find practical and sustainable solutions for today’s energy security and climate change challenges. WFES promotes innovation and investment opportunities surrounding renewable energy and environment. It represents an unrivalled business platform bringing together project owners and solution providers with investors and buyers from both the public and private sectors. To find out more about WFES visit http://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com/.

During WFES, the following YFEL spokespeople will be available for comment. If you wish to arrange an interview:

·         Mohammed Bin Kardous Al Ameri, an Emirati philanthropist and supporter of YFEL
·         Ayesha Al-Ateeqi, YFEL Outreach Officer
·         Zainab Al Ali, YFEL Outreach Officer
·         Emirati students, a Masdar Institute student, International students, and one UAE young professional

If you wish to arrange an interview, please use the contact details below.

YFEL mission

       Engage young people from the UAE and beyond with alternative energy and sustainability
       Champion the efforts of young professionals already involved with alternative energy and sustainability
       Introduce young professionals to Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and its initiatives
       Promote interaction between the young professionals and government representatives, businesses leaders and other organizations active in the area of alternative energy and sustainability
       Encourage students to present innovative ideas related to alternative energy and sustainability

About YFEL 2011 Sponsors

Mr. Mohamed Bin Kardous Al Ameri, and Emirati and a philanthropist made a personal contribution of AED 1 million to the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program.

Four corporate sponsors have also been confirmed for the 2011 YFEL program. Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) are platinum sponsors. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation is working to deliver safe, clean, efficient nuclear energy to the United Arab Emirates – energy that is needed to support the UAE’s social and economic growth. ADNOC was established in 1971, to operate in all areas of the oil and gas industry and since then has steadily broadened its activity establishing companies and subsidiaries and creating an integrated oil and gas industry in Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) and Dolphin Energy are gold sponsor. ADWEA is a national organization wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government, maintaining a separate legal entity, as well as complete financial and administrative independence. ADWEA replaced the former Water & Electricity Department in 1998 and it is responsible for implementing government policy regarding water and electricity sector in the Emirate, including privatization of the water and electricity sector. Dolphin Energy is a strategic energy initiative that involves the production and processing of natural gas from Qatar’s North Field, and transportation of the refined gas by subsea pipeline across joint UAE-Qatari waters to the UAE.

About Participants of YFEL 2011

Local and international students participating in the YFEL program are from UAE University, Zayed University, Higher Colleges of Technology, American University of Sharjah, American University of Dubai, and University of Sharjah, as well as highly reputed Harvard University, MIT, Duke University, Technical University of Denmark, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, University of Kenya and Middle East University. These students were selected based on their academic accomplishments and leadership skills.  They come from different academic background such us, engineering, IT, science and business.

The Young professionals nominated to participate in the YFEL program are from companies such as Mubadala Development Company, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, Aldar Properties, Dolphin Energy and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Emirates National Oil Company and First Gulf Bank, Dubai Aluminum Ltd, TAKREER,  ZADCO, ADCO, ADGAS , GASCO, and National Drilling Company.

About Masdar Institute

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to serve as a “knowledge-hub” in the region to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.

With the assistance of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute has developed an academic and research platform that articulates its mission and vision according to critical energy and sustainability challenges. 

An important characteristic of Masdar Institute is its focus on complex real-world problems that require a multidisciplinary approach for the development of solutions from an integrated technology, systems and policy perspective.  This multi-interdisciplinary and integrated approach is supported by the structure of its academic programs and by the emphasis placed on engaging external partners from industry, government, and other academic institutions in collaborative activities.

Masdar Institute offers degrees in:


·         MSc Engineering Systems and Management
·         MSc Computing and Information Science
·         MSc Materials Science and Engineering
·         MSc Mechanical Engineering
·         MSc Water and Environmental Engineering
·         MSc Microsystems Engineering
·         MSc Electrical Power Engineering
·         Interdisciplinary Doctoral Degree PhD program

For more information on Masdar Institute, please visit http://www.masdar.ac.ae/

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