Sustainable, resilient, and climate-positive urban environments are not a pipe dream, and regenerative design is a game-changer in transforming the built environment. On episode 17, we discuss how governments, urban planners, and communities can come together to reverse climate change.

By 2050, two out of every three people will be living in cities or major urban centres. With cities generating around 75 percent of global CO2 emissions, the race is on to create sustainable, resilient, and climate-restorative cities.

Regenerative urban design will play a pivotal role in helping transform the built environment to enhance potential for net-positive impact on natural systems. From retrofitting a commercial building with a green skin to creating wetlands that capture and store rainwater, there is ample opportunity for cities and citizens to rebuild a harmonised relationship with nature.

This episode was recorded during the 2024 World Future Energy Summit. Our invited experts identify the global cities setting benchmarks for regenerative design, discuss what it takes for a city to become a carbon sink, and ask whether major gateways like London, New York and Dubai can go beyond carbon neutrality and into the realm of carbon negativity?

Moderator Jeffrey Beyer, Founder and Managing Director of Zest Associates, is joined by Dr Hala Omar, Sustainability Manager at turnkey consultancy Dar Al-Handasah, and Vice President of the Egypt Green Building Council; and Laurence Kemball-Cook, founder and CEO of clean-tech company, Pavegen.

Powered by World Future Energy Summit, the Future Energy Insights show seeks to address the biggest challenges shaping the future of energy today, both in the Middle East and around the world. Find us on social media at @WFES

Imagine a world where treated wastewater not only protects our environment but also drives innovation and creates jobs. This vision remains largely untapped, yet it's within our reach!

According to current UN Environment Programme data, only 11% of the world’s treated wastewater is reused. Shockingly, around 50% of untreated wastewater pollutes our rivers, lakes, and oceans.

In Episode 16, recorded at the 2024 World Future Energy Summit, we explore the future of wastewater treatment with two leading experts in the field.

Beyond irrigation and industrial cooling, treated wastewater can recharge groundwater aquifers, be used as a concrete additive in construction, and even produce biogas through waste-to-energy technology.

Treated wastewater reuse is a valuable yet underutilised resource. It offers a circular economy opportunity, creates new revenue streams and jobs, fosters innovation, and advances wastewater management practices.

Our host, Jeffrey Beyer, Founder and Managing Director of Zest Associates, is joined by Alicia Dauth, Senior Associate Consultant – Environment at AESG,
and Dr Chakravarthy Gudipati, Executive Director - Water Technologies at the Technology Innovation Institute, a leading global research centre under the remit of the Abu Dhabi Government’s Advanced Technology Research Council.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the latest technologies transforming wastewater treatment and optimising its usage.

Powered by World Future Energy Summit, the Future Energy Insights show seeks to address the biggest challenges shaping the future of energy today, both in the Middle East and around the world. Find us on social media at @WFES

Anticipated rampant growth in global demand for green hydrogen presents a major economic opportunity for many countries and is also a progressive zero-carbon journey solution for heavy industry high emitters. On episode 15, we examine both opportunities, looking at which countries are already keen on clean hydrogen and what’s driving strategic decision-making.

Green hydrogen, a clean and scalable energy storage solution, is more than just a zero-emission industrial feedstock. It's a transformative energy source with incredible potential, positioning itself as a beacon of sustainability.

The clean hydrogen market is expected to see exponential future demand growth. McKinsey reports that by 2050, green hydrogen could dominate the global supply mix, with a share of between 50 and 65 percent across scenarios.

While this is contingent upon a significant decline in production costs between 2030 and 2050, it represents a major economic opportunity for GCC nations and other global players.

But for heavy industry high emitters, abundant green hydrogen resources can’t be ignored as a zero-carbon solution and could be one of the most straightforward ways to cut emissions.

In episode 15, recorded at the 2024 World Future Energy Summit, we engage in a thought-provoking discussion with two climate change innovators. We explore the crucial decision of whether to localize or commercialize, delve into the factors driving strategic decision-making for governments, and ponder over what it means for countries in the region and their ambitious regional net-zero goals.

Moderator Jeffrey Beyer, Founder and Managing Director of Zest Associates, is joined by Frank Wouters, Chairman of the MENA Hydrogen Alliance and Dii Desert Energy Advisory Board; and Wietse ter Veld, Clean Hydrogen Expert - Middle East for AtkinsRéalis.

Powered by World Future Energy Summit, the Future Energy Insights show seeks to address the biggest challenges shaping the future of energy today, both in the Middle East and around the world. Find us on social media at @WFES