Ahmad Bin Shafar and Rob Thornton at the Summit

DUBAI, UAE, 14 October 2019: Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), participated in the UN Climate Action Summit 2019, together with Rob Thornton, President and CEO of the International District Energy Association (IDEA) in New York City and discussed the future of district cooling services and new challenges in the industry, the utility company said through a Press release.

According to the release, Bin Shafar attended the Summit as a Special Advisor on District Cooling for the ‘Global District Energy in Cities Initiative’, under the United Nations Environment Programme, and as a Board Member of IDEA. During the participation, Bin Shafar and Thornton discussed the global perspective of recent trends in the district cooling sector, aimed at promoting sustainability, raising awareness of eco-friendly products and services and at fostering a culture of adopting district cooling solutions, as well as the future challenges and post-summit plans, the release said.

District cooling services play a vital role in combating climate change and in accelerating the shift towards clean, efficient and secure cooling systems that reduce CO2 emissions and save energy by 50%, the release said. Various workshops held during the Summit 2019 highlighted the importance of district cooling in maintaining a secure environment for future generations and in protecting the planet from the impacts of climate change owing to the expected increase in demand for cooling services, the release added.

During the Summit, Bin Shafar attended a workshop on the Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), set by the United Nations, with district cooling being amongst its most important pillars, the release said. The SDG7 reaffirms the importance of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, the release said, adding that district cooling technology contributes a significant part towards achieving the SDG7. As such, the SDG7 also attaches particular importance to increasing the share of renewable energy, raising the efficiency of energy use, promoting investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technologies and strengthening cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technologies by the year of 2030, the release said.

Bin Shafar also participated in a session to introduce the actions of Governments, private sector and institutions with regard to the shift towards sustainable energy development, by providing a broader outlook on the need for district cooling solutions, as well as discussing the future of district cooling and the various challenges to the industry, the release said.

Speaking on the occasion, Bin Shafar said, “Participation in the Summit presents us with new ambitions and aspirations for district cooling that drive us further into the promotion of a culture of environmental conservation by supporting different activities that contribute constructively to a green economy for future generations by raising awareness on eco-friendly district cooling services.”