WGES 2026: Dubai’s green economy summit puts waste, water and AI on the agenda

On the opening day of the World Green Economy Summit (WGES) in Dubai, thousands of delegates from various sectors gathered at the World Trade Centre to discuss the transition to a green economy. The summit brought together experts from waste management, artificial intelligence, and environmental finance, among other fields.

Timothy Clarke, CEO of Dubai's Warsan Waste Management Centre, emphasized the need to reframe the concept of waste as a valuable resource. He noted that WWMC receives 6,000 tonnes of unsorted waste daily from Dubai Municipality, which is currently burned to generate electricity. Mr Clarke argued that this should be the last resort, not the goal, and that people should strive to find ways to use waste for other purposes.

Anssi Mikola, co-founder of River Recycle, spoke about the importance of addressing the plastic pollution crisis in rivers, which are often the primary disposal option for communities with inadequate waste infrastructure. River Recycle is currently operational on 20 rivers and aims to expand to 30, highlighting the need for funding to scale up circular economy solutions in developing nations.

Darren Kimura, CEO of AISquared, discussed the role of AI in the green economy. He proposed a Dubai AI Challenge, calling for the UAE's technology community to measure AI by concrete environmental outcomes rather than just its headline-grabbing capabilities. Kimura argued that AI's footprint depends on how it is designed and deployed, with new technologies like liquid cooling and resource management applications offering potential solutions.

The summit's attendees agreed that the green economy cannot be built solely through summits, and that individual choices, such as reducing packaging waste, play a crucial role in the transition to a sustainable future.