London: Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, the Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), was honoured with the prestigious President’s Award by the Energy Institute, marking a significant milestone as the first recipient from the Middle East.
The accolade, presented at the Institute’s annual ceremony in London, recognized Dr Al Hosany's exceptional contributions to advancing the energy transition, advocating for renewable energy and promoting gender diversity in the energy sector on local, regional, and international platforms.
Expressing her gratitude, Dr. Al Hosany said, " I am incredibly humbled and proud to receive the Energy Institute’s President’s Award.”
“It’s critical that women – especially women from the Middle East – are recognised for their contributions to driving the energy transition, which can often go overlooked outside of the region", she said to The National.
The President’s Award, with a history spanning over 90 years, celebrates outstanding leadership in the energy industry and supports the Energy Institute’s ambition of facilitating a just global energy transition to net zero.
Speaking about the significance of the award, Energy Institute President Juliet Davenport praised Dr Al Hosany's transformative work in advocating for renewable energies and overcoming deployment barriers to accelerate the energy transition.
Looking ahead, Dr Al Hosany emphasized the importance of recognizing women's contributions in driving the energy transition, envisioning a future where gender equality fosters sustainable development and supports the UAE's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century.
The recognition of Dr. Al Hosany highlights the Middle East's role in shaping the global energy transition, paving the way for more women to lead and influence the trajectory of the industry.
She dedicated the award to “all the trailblazing women in the energy sector in the Middle East”.
“In the UAE, we are always encouraged to challenge traditional thinking; gender has never been a barrier to entry for any industry”, added Dr Al-Hosany.