Weaver hails Abu Dhabi's clean energy initiatives

In an otherwise grim overview of a planet in peril due to burning fossil fuels, Hollywood actress and environmentalist Sigourney Weaver also commended the emirate of Abu Dhabi for its clean energy efforts. Weaver was speaking at the Women as Global Leaders conference at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. She said people around the world know there are better ways of doing business and many of these solutions are emerging right here in the region. "There is no doubt that fossil fuels have powered the growth of the Gulf Cooperation Council. These nations are home to about 40 per cent of the world's proven oil reserves yet that hasn't stopped Abu Dhabi from pursuing a clean energy resources that will help fight climate change." "Indeed the Crown Prince Mohammad [General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces] has set a great example. By installing solar panels of the roof of his court, that puts him ahead of the White House," she added. Climate change The jewel in Abu Dhabi's green crown is Masdar City which Weaver described as a "living laboratory that combines ancient Arab design strategies for managing heat and water scarcity with the latest cutting-edge technologies in energy efficiency, green buildings and renewable power". Around the developing world women suffer the most in terms of the impact of climate change, said Weaver. "Women are on the front lines of climate destruction. We produce 80 per cent of food in the developing world and drought and unpredictable rain will make this work far more precarious." Weaver explained that women will have to work harder to ensure their families have food fuel and water. Also, women's roles as caretakers put them in even greater risk in times of extreme weather. According to Weaver who cited recent studies, women are 14 times more likely to die as a result of storms or other extreme weather as men. "14 times! Why? Because it is we women who have to look after the children, the elderly, the sick which means we have less mobility in a flood or a wildfire." Natural caretakers But women can bring about change. They, who are the natural caretakers and providers of food, fuel and fresh water, know the importance of saving resources and planning for the next generation. "We can't leave our children and grandchildren with dirtier air, or fewer forests or less fish than we inherited. I don't think men understand resources in quite the same way." Women represent 70 per cent of the world's poor and yet, in their families, they can be critical leaders in eradicating poverty and protecting the earth. Women can help change the situation if they are empowered to make changes in their own lives. The challenges to be tackled include women being denied education, married off too young, the lack of adequate health care and the lack of family planning and control over when and how they build families.