The final session of the „AHK Sustainability Series - On the Road to COP28“, took place on Wednesday 1st November in Dubai. The session focused on the topic of Circular Economy and was opened by Andreas Feil, First Secretary for Climate and Environment at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. Feil emphasized that the circular economy is a strategic issue worldwide. He explained that Germany is currently drafting a circular economy strategy aiming to achieve a 70% recycling rate by 2030.
Eng. Aisha, Director of the Green Development and Environment Affairs Department for the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment delivered the keynote speech. Her key message is that it is a paramount time to transition from a linear economy to a circular economy. This transition is not just about being environmentally responsible but is also a smart choice for generating potential economic growth while contributing to the economic impact: resource efficiency, waste reduction, job creation, and innovation.
Dr.-Ing. Mohammad Chehade presented on the initiatives of RWTH Aachen University on circularity topics. He explained the 9Rs steps to achieve an economic strategy in circularity, emphasizing the importance of decoupling resource consumption. A communication campaign is important to spearhead the idea that using recycled products would not deprive us of our quality of life but could also save the planet from further extraction.
A dynamic panel discussion was moderated by Adrienne Doolan, CEO of Green Touches and a member of the UN Global Compact. The contributors included Maryam Al Mansoori, General Manager of Rebound Limited, Matteo Boffa, a Serial Impact Entrepreneur and Investor, Dr. Sassan Dieter Khatib-Shahidi, Founder and CEO of German Imaging Technology Dubai LLC, Dr. Udo Huenger, Vice President of BASF FZE, and Dr.-Ing. Mohammad Chehade. The key takeaways from the discussion are that sustainability awareness should start from the family, our commitment to segregate and recycle is vital, and our choices as consumers shape the future. Company leaders have a responsibility to form partnerships and invest in sustainable practices, and policymakers must urgently shift from linear to circular economies. Start-ups are the changemakers because their innovations and creativity can bridge the gap in circularity.
We would like to extend our gratitude to our distinguished speakers, panelists, and attendees, especially to our partners (alphabetically): BASF, BMW, Init, KROHNE, Siemens, and Wilo.
02/11/2023