Registration for Environment 2007 International Conference begins

Held under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, next year's Conference will be focusing on the theme "Integrated Sustainable Energy Resources in Arid Regions."

The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) is organizing this Conference, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) which is the 4th in a series of environment Conferences. It will be held at the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Center in Abu Dhabi, from January 28 - 31, 2007.

According to the organizers, this theme was chosen to highlight the world's ever-increasing energy demand and rise in population, where experts predict we are on the threshold of severe energy shortages in the near future.

"We have to analyze the potential of various renewable energies to supply the needs of the arid regions, taking into consideration their economic, environmental and social circumstances. This Conference will give us the opportunity to consider the potential of technologies such as hydrogen fuel, wind power or even solar thermal systems to provide future energy supplies. Moreover, the Conference will focus on how to improve current desalination technologies,"

said Mr. Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of EAD as well as Head of the Environment 2007 Conference Scientific Committee.

Co-organizers of the Conference are the World Renewable Energy Network (WREN) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). 26 speakers have been confirmed so far, with many more expected to be confirmed in the upcoming months. Speakers will be experts in the field from UNEP-ROWA, the US Department of Energy, and World Health Organization-EMRO (Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office).

The Conference is expected to bring together a diversified group of local, regional and international researchers, industrialists, policy makers, experts and top renewable energy officials.

It aims to assess the possible applications of sustainable energy resources management and technologies and development and integration of natural energy resources, including fossil fuels and renewable energy.

An exhibition, organized by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, will be held as the same time of the Conference and will focus on these themes: Air, Energy, Water, and Waste. The Exhibition will provide an ideal platform to promote related products, services and technologies.

The previous conference, held in 2005, focused on Sustainable Transportation in Developing Countries and was attended by more than 11,000 visitors. Leading speakers participated such as Dr. Klaus Toepfer, former Director of the United Nations Environment Programme as well as H.E Margaret Wolf, Vice Minister and Parliamentary State Secretary, Germany.