WGES 2026: Dubai summit urges early registration

The 12th World Green Economy Summit (WGES 2026) will convene global policymakers, business leaders, investors and sustainability experts in Dubai on October 21–22, 2026, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the two-day summit is organised by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO), and organisers are urging prospective attendees to register early to secure participation in sessions focused on scaling green-economy solutions.

“Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the World Green Economy Summit has consolidated its position as a leading global platform that advances international dialogue and unifies efforts to address climate change and accelerate the transition to a sustainable green economy,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA and Chairman of WGEO.

Summit agenda and speakers

WGES 2026 will gather a cross-section of actors involved in the green transition: project financiers, resilience and infrastructure experts, developers, and representatives from government, the private sector and academia. The programme is built around four main thematic pillars—Energy technology and infrastructure; Business strategy and transition; Water and food security; and Finance—and will integrate three cross-cutting themes: artificial intelligence, governance and economic system enablers such as supply chains and the circular economy.

Last year’s lineup illustrates the calibre of participants expected at the summit. Speakers at WGES 2025 included Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Dr. Arshad Mansoor, President and CEO of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI); Anne Le Guennec, CEO of Veolia Water Technologies; Amel Chadli, President of the Gulf countries cluster at Schneider Electric; Mazin Khan, Chief Financial Officer of Masdar; Joan Larrea, CEO of Convergence Blended Finance; Priya Sarma, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing division across the GCC, Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh; and Najib Saab, Secretary-General of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development. Organisers say WGES will once again attract a similar mix of global decision-makers and sector specialists.

Session highlights and priorities

• “Middle East Energy Storage Solutions” will explore regional approaches to developing storage capacity to maximise renewable energy value.
• “Extending Dubai’s Leading Infrastructure Models to Global Markets” aims to examine how Dubai’s utilities and infrastructure experience can be adapted overseas.
• “Business Case for Sustainability” will evaluate financial evidence around green revenues and the distinction between companies embedding sustainability and those treating it as compliance.
• “$7 Trillion Opportunity: Which Sectors are Winning and Why” will identify the fastest-growing segments of the green economy and the drivers behind their growth.

Artificial intelligence will be examined as an enabler for advancing climate projects, governance sessions will focus on turning sustainability ambitions into implementation, and system enabler discussions will cover supply chains and the circular economy. The summit’s central theme, “From Success to Scale: Showcasing the Green Economy,” positions WGES 2026 to move beyond the need for climate action toward actionable pathways for scaling proven solutions.

Organisers advise early registration to secure access to panels and networking opportunities, as WGES has evolved into what Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer describes as a “global platform” for accelerating climate solutions and strengthening resilience across sectors.