Progress and prosperity are important for every nation, but they can and should be achieved through responsible actions, keeping in mind the need to preserve the precious environment.

The UAE government deserves a salute for becoming the first signatory in the world to the ‘Scale 360’ initiative, which aims at moving towards a more circular economy while using less natural resources and reducing pollution to tackle climate change.

The move, in cooperation with the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), will go a long way in minimising waste by designing recyclable and renewable goods to ensure their utilisation even after the end of their shelf- life and in order to achieve efficient use of natural resources.

The initiative, signed from the UAE side by Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, and Borge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, translates the strategic directions of the UAE government into practical initiatives by creating an enabling a sustainable infrastructure to support the growth of the economic, social and environmental sectors.

As Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi stated, the UAE’s success in linking development plans with environmental considerations is the result the leadership’s endless support in promoting development while maintaining the sustainability of natural resources which contributed to a global leading model.

The decision to sign the initiative is immensely creditable because the UAE seeks to promote Scale 360 to existing and future projections in order to ensure the conservation of resources, greater reliance on clean energy, the application of sustainable development standards, as well as create future opportunities for the youth in the region.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and smart technology are reshaping the future of the world. Thankfully, the UAE has not only pressed the right keys when it comes to adopting smart technology to make the lives of citizens and residents happier, it has also understood the fact that there is no time to pause.

The nation has embarked on continuous upgradation at various levels of governance, keeping pace with ever-changing technology. Visionary leadership has helped lead the digitalisation race in the region.

As Omar Al Olama well highlighted, the UAE’s signing on Scale 360 reflects the government’s commitment to employ the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s technologies for a better future for communities while joining the global efforts to sustain the environment for future generations.

No one can deny that Artificial Intelligence is a major contributor to the sustainable development efforts and recycling initiatives.

In October 2014, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the National Innovation Strategy with the aim of making the UAE one of the most innovative nations in the world within seven years.

Every citizen and resident can be proud of the fact that the UAE is one of the most prepared countries in the region to adopt AI technology because the government has already built a thorough technology infrastructure over the past two decades.

The UAE becoming the first globally to sign on ‘Scale 360’ initiative indubitably reaffirms the country’s position as a global and an open laboratory for economic and technological innovations in line with UAE Vision 2021 and the Centennial Strategy 2071.