DAY 1 AT SUSTAINABLE CITIES IN ACTION FORUM 2024
Highlights from Day 1 of the Sustainable Cities in Action Forum 2024
Expo City Dubai: A Blueprint for Better Living
Keynote address by Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, CEO, Expo City Dubai, on ECD as a sustainable urban ecosystem “conceived in a spirit of international cooperation”, and a "real-world" sandbox for developing and scaling sustainable city solutions.
Followed by a fireside chat with Her Excellency Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 , on the outcomes of COP28, including the historic UAE Consensus, and the role of cities in catalysing climate action and resilience.
Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, CEO, Expo City Dubai, delivers her keynote address, followed by a fireside chat with Her Excellency Razan Al Mubarak
World Majlis: Urbanising in Challenging Climates
In this thought-provoking session, an expert panel of mayors, city planners and urban innovators shared first-hand experiences of climate-related challenges faced by their cities, along with real-world responses and solutions. These included green informal settlements; biodiversity in service of the city; nature-based construction; and community assemblies.
Speakers (l-r): Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco | Nasra Nanda, CEO, Kenya Green Building Society | Tim Feng, Chairman Assistant and International Affairs Advisor, Vanke Co. Ltd
UAE Sustainable Built Environment Blueprint Launch
Released in summary at COP28, the full UAE Sustainable Built Environment Blueprint launched at Sustainable Cities in Action 2024. Representatives from the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the UN High-Level Climate Champions team and Emirates Green Building Council explained the opportunities that this seminal report creates for enabling region-wide green building practices and supporting the UAE on its journey to net zero.
Mozah Mohamed Alnuaimi, Director of Productivity and Demand Management, UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Urban Pressures of Today: Across the MEASA Region
Animated discussion between leading urban planners and developers from the MEASA region about the pressures facing cities of the global south. Talking points included: the challenges of rural-to-urban and urban-to-rural migration; the heat-health nexus; data shortfalls; community participation; and the need for decentralised decision-making.
Panelist Bushra Afreen, Chief Heat Officer, Dhaka North City Corporation (far left) is Asia's first chief heat officer
Expo City Dubai: A City in Action
The team behind the creation of Expo City Dubai gave audiences exclusive insight into this pioneering city’s journey from concept to completion, taking in a world pandemic and global mega-event along the way. They elaborated on how, today, ECD is a living, breathing blueprint for urban sustainability; a place of learning, technology and inclusion; and a global sandbox for planetary solutions.
As Expo City Dubai's Chief Development and Delivery Officer, Ahmed Al Khatib (far left) has a unique perspective on sustainable placemaking
Women’s World Majlis | Women Transforming Cities
In this session, leading female urbanists and practitioners advocated for enabling women to be seen, heard and included in urban planning processes. During a thought-provoking discussion, speakers agreed that this means understanding how women and girls live, work and play in the city, and identifying the blind spots and biases that create barriers to them owning urban space.
Nadia Verjee (far left), Executive Director, Expo Dubai Group, Global Initiative, Expo City Dubai, shares her insights on gender-responsive planning
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