Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, on Monday launched the first UAE State of Green Economy Report, which seeks to help the country make solid advances towards a green economy, by providing the public with a clear overview of the government’s plan and diverse public and private efforts, as well as benchmarking the country’s current standing During a launch ceremony on the sidelines of World Future Energy Summit (WFES 2015), the minister said the report was the fruit of constructive cooperation between the different sectors involved in the process of development.

At the second day of the 5th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates was re-selected to a seat on the Council for the years 2015 and 2016. Senior Ministers from Japan who are presiding over this year’s Assembly proceedings also welcomed the UAE’s re-selection.

One of the most promising developments in the world of education in recent years has been the continued expansion of the education sector in the United Arab Emirates. This growth has not only been confined to secondary schools, where numbers have historically been bolstered by Dubai’s expatriate workers, but has also spread, in turn, to the tertiary sector, with the UAE now hosting an estimated 54,000 students for various university degrees, the majority from countries in Asia and the Gulf region.

Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), said that the UAE is a leading country transitioning to the use of renewable energy, and that taking this direction is not incompatible with it being one of the largest producers and exporters of oil in the world. The IRENA Director-General made these comments today, in an interview with the daily Arabic-language newspaper Al Itihad, ahead of IRENA's fifth meeting which will be held in the capital, and expected to draw 80 energy ministers from around the world.