Abu Dhabi, 7th March 2023: The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and the Abu Dhabi School of Government (ADSG) and part of the Department of Government Support (DGS) have launched a joint and exceptional initiative to support the development of Abu Dhabi government employees' competencies in the field of green policies. This initiative will provide skills and knowledge to help achieve sustainable development, and support the UAE’s climate neutrality goals, while helping to prepare a workforce familiar with green concepts, and capable of contributing to sustainable change.

The initiative will witness the participation of various vital sectors in Abu Dhabi and involve five interactive training and awareness programmes launching successively during 2023. These include: ‘The Sustainable Public Policy Programme’, the ‘Masters Scholarships in Environmental Sustainability Programme’, ‘Environmental Awareness for Abu Dhabi Government Employees Programme’, the ‘Government Accelerators Towards Environmental Leadership Programme for Abu Dhabi, and the ‘Environmental Insights for Leaders Programme’.

Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, said: “We are proud to work with the Abu Dhabi School of Government to implement this ambitious initiative that aims to support the development of capabilities and skills necessary to lead environmentally friendly development in various vital sectors such as health, energy, economy and community development. This is in addition to enhancing knowledge and raising awareness of environmental issues, and strengthening our efforts in collaborating with government institutions to fulfil the duties of social and environmental responsibility, raise corporate efficiency, and contribute to the directions of the governments of Abu Dhabi and the UAE to achieve sustainable development.”

Her Excellency added: “This initiative is in line with our endeavour to achieve the goals of ‘Abu Dhabi Environmental Centennial 2071’, where we aspire to promote and develop the environmental identity of all so that every institution becomes a pioneer in conserving the environment. We want to build deep and meaningful ties with institutions, intensify their involvement, and enhance their contribution in the field of environmental and climate change action. And to achieve our vision, Abu Dhabi School of Government made the ideal partner in this mission, as it is a pioneer in offering exceptional programmes of high quality for government employees.”
His Excellency Dr. Yasser Ahmed Al Naqbi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi School of Government, said: “This collaboration comes in line with our aspirations to develop the competencies of government employees to enable them to become more effective and play a pivotal role in supporting the development system in the UAE. Our focus is to support the UAE’s strategic vision to build a sustainable, competitive and knowledge-based economy.”

Al Naqbi added: “The Abu Dhabi School of Government seeks to meet the needs of the Abu Dhabi government on a local scale through various partnerships, programmes, and initiatives. This initiative, which was launched in cooperation with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, will include a set of programmes, activities and educational messages that will contribute to strengthening the leading position of Abu Dhabi in environmental sustainability and green development at a local and global level.”

‘The Sustainable Public Policy Programme’ is one of the training programmes targeting Abu Dhabi government employees at the leadership and executive levels. It will enhance participants’ expertise in the field of leading public policies that consider environmental and climate considerations to direct green development in all vital sectors. This programme is held in association with Harvard Kennedy School.
‘Masters Scholarships in Environmental Sustainability Programme’ will be implemented in cooperation with the Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, providing scholarships to several Abu Dhabi government employees to enroll in higher academic studies in the field of environmental sustainability, which will enable them to obtain a Master's Degree in environmental sustainability law and policies.

The ‘Environmental Awareness for Abu Dhabi Government Employees Programme’ will raise awareness of environmental practices among Abu Dhabi government employees. It includes several awareness activities that enhance knowledge and self-learning among young people. It also incorporates a set of educational games, audio clips, podcasts and 2D infographic clips, which will contribute to the consolidation of knowledge.

The ‘Government Accelerators Towards Environmental Leadership Programme for Abu Dhabi’ is directed to executive grade employees in the Abu Dhabi Government. Innovative solutions will be provided to environmental challenges at the level of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi from various sectors and specialisations. This is in addition to working on preparing 100-day implementation plans to hone their expertise on the stages of implementation and to accelerate decision making processes.
The ‘Environmental Insights for Leaders Programme ’ covers the aspect of influence, and is aimed at leadership and executive level employees in the Abu Dhabi Government. The programme includes short videos on the most prominent local and global environmental trends, visions, and developments. 
The five programmes also follow cognitive assessments to measure the level of learning acquired to ensure effectiveness and continuous improvement.