The UAE participated in the inaugural meeting of the Scale360 Global Advisory Board, the governing body of the World Economic Forum, WEF, Scale360 initiative that aspires to accelerate the circular economy. The country became the first signatory of the initiative in 2019 through a partnership with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Office of the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, and WEF, and proceeded to establish the first-ever Scale360 national program. The advisory board meeting convened leaders from the public and private sectors to review the progress, provide guidance on program development and activate the commitment of members to the initiative. Participants also discussed ways in which the global community can enhance the existing circular economy landscape, and how the forthcoming playbook, part of the Scale360 UAE National Program, will help guide the approach to circular innovation worldwide. Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, minister of state for foreign trade, who represented the UAE at the meeting, said, "The UAE is proud to take a leading role in the Scale360 initiative. "The Scale360 UAE National Program serves as a framework for leaders worldwide to ensure more sustainable use of resources and to fast-track global efforts to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals." Since the launch of the program, the country has worked closely with WEF to conduct UAE stakeholder consultations and to develop the draft playbook. It also held the inaugural Scale360 UAE Advisory Board Meeting in June 2020, where public and private sector leaders met to discuss the priorities and strategic direction of the program. Antonia Gawel, head of Circular Economy and Innovation and member of the Executive Committee at WEF, said, "The Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and innovative solutions are opening up new avenues of value creation across industries and geographies. "Their adoption has incredible potential to fast-track our progress towards a more safe and circular economy. We are excited to work with a group of leaders and partners on Scale360 to make this happen." Scale360 seeks to scale up the use of Fourth Industrial Revolution technology innovations and connect stakeholders across regional and global endeavors to fast-track the circular economy. — WAM
