The first few months of the year are always a busy time, and the start of 2026 was no different, with Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) bringing together a multitude of global voices and ideas to accelerate climate action.
On the sidelines of ADSW 2026 – the largest edition of the conference so far with more than 50,000 people and 70 heads of state attending – Frontier25 co-hosted the Ocean Innovators Platform alongside the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The event brought together industry decision-makers, senior private and institutional investors, and entrepreneurs for a day of panel discussions and pitch sessions, with a focus on accelerating the sustainable transition of the maritime industry. The UAE’s maritime industries contribute around $37 billion to the country’s annual GDP.
“The growth of the blue economy does not rely on how much more we can gain but rests on how much more we can give,” said Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan during her keynote address.
Frontier25 and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing to working together to promote and develop their sustainability goals, including but not limited to promoting and developing impact investment, ocean innovation, and blue finance.
Leaders of tomorrow
As well as creating new climate-focused partnerships, Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan continued her role in championing and empowering youth by attended the Youth 4 Sustainability sessions during ADSW.
Youth 4 Sustainability is a global initiative that empowers the next generation of sustainability leaders, with the winners revealed annually during the conference. The conversations at this year’s edition explored ethical leadership, inclusive growth, and the role of youth in shaping a just and future-ready transition.
The Climate Tribe at ADSW
In January, The Climate Tribe was awarded the Environmental Impact Award at the Abu Dhabi Review’s Community Champion Awards. The honour recognises initiatives creating real, positive impact for the environment through awareness, action, and long-term commitment. This was clear to see at The Climate Tribe’s Hub in Abu Dhabi’s MiZa during ASDW, which was buzzing thanks to a packed schedule of talks, workshops, and film screenings.
These included welcoming a group of students from the Smith School of Business in Ontario, Canada, for a tour and an open Q&A session, and staging and moderating a talk on the importance of sustainability in fashion and the impact of creating a sustainable brand, hosted by Pangaia CEO Daniel Gómez and brand executive and sustainable fashion expert Eva Kruse.
At the British School Al Khubairat, The Climate Tribe brought its message of sustainability to a younger audience by taking part in the school’s ADSW activations. It hosted sustainable filmmaking workshops and an outdoor storytelling majlis that highlighted the importance of energy. TCT rounded off ADSW with a film screening and panel discussion about bee conservation, as well as a community thrift and embroidery workshop.
The educational film screenings at The Hub continued in February with ‘Our Living World: Rhythm of Life’, a powerful exploration of how nature moves in sync, from the setting sun to shifting seasons and the phases of the moon.
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Highlighting her role as a leading voice in the global climate conversation, Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nayhan attended the WEF in Davos in January and took part in a series of high-profile conversations to showcase the role of leadership in climate action and open potential new areas of collaboration.
A fireside chat with Mina Al Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief of The National, in the UAE Pavillion looked at how values-led leadership can shape systems, empower the next generation, and deliver impact far into the future.
A discussion with Gary White and Matt Damon, co-founders of water.org, explored water security and sustainability, including the role of innovative technology and sustainable finance in strengthening water resilience, and how to advance strategic partnerships that deliver long-term impact.
And a meeting with Her Excellency Dr Hissa Abdulla Ahmed Al-Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein, explored opportunities for supporting environmental development pathways and strengthening the green economy.
Cleaner air for a brighter future
Collaboration is key to Frontier25’s success – which is why we are proud to have added the Global Methane Hub to our growing network of impactful partners in January to address knowledge and policy gaps related to methane emissions.
Methane is a significant greenhouse gas and air pollutant, responsible for more than 45% of recent global warming and over 80 times more powerful than CO₂ over a 20-year period. Our work with the Global Methane Hub will include assessing the impact of methane across a range of sectors and examining its implications for air quality and public health.
Sustainable skies
As part of Frontier25’s focus on strengthening sustainability in the aviation industry, key members of our team participated in panel discussions at the Sustainable Aviation Futures MENA Congress in Dubai in February.
They provided valuable insights on topics such as how policy levers and market coordination could drive market decarbonisation and how the UAE could use it role as a global aviation hub to accelerate the scale-up of sustainable aviation fuel.
Supporting policy change
In Q1 we published our detailed report on the ‘Ideas to Impact’ forum we convened last year, and two insights reports linked to Frontier25’s priority areas, with the aim of accelerating action through policy change.
Report: 25 to 2050: Ideas to impact
Developed from Frontier25’s 25 to 2050 Ideas to Impact Forum in October 2025, this report consolidates closed-door discussions with senior leaders from government, industry, finance, and civil society, and highlights implementable insights and policy directions to accelerate progress across sectors.
Report: Policy Hack: Accelerating collective action for methane and air quality
A summary of the Policy Hack findings relating to accelerating collective action for methane and air quality, in partnership with the Global Methane Hub.
Report: Powering the energy nexus: Financing the transition from the UAE and beyond
In December 2025, Frontier25 hosted a roundtable discussion to explore the financing of the energy transition in the UAE and beyond. The session revealed the experiences of founders and investors and the role of the UAE through the three lenses of supply, demand, and investment. This report delves into that conversation and its outcomes.
We also published a blog exploring the impact of Earth Hour and how it can inspire meaningful action: The symbolism of Earth Hour matters, but energy systems still need to transform.
Engage with us
We are always keen to work with partners who share our climate and sustainability goals. If you would like to find out more about how we can collaborate, email us at info@frontier25.com.
Or come and meet us at one of our monthly ‘Coffee and Connect’ events at The Climate Tribe Hub, designed for people to meet, share ideas, and start meaningful conversations. Everyone is welcome. Follow us on Instagram and find out more at www.theclimatetribe.com
