A successful sustainability summit accomplishes a few things: It elevates the importance of the topic, it finds a way to grab your attention, and it persuades you to learn more about the issue at hand. 

Which is why Fast Company Middle East’s Green Goals Summit, through a series of panel discussions, aims to be the perfect way to hear and learn as experts speak about climate change and sustainable economy — a topic where the grim particulars all too often seem to run together. But they will delve deeper into solutions.

The summit is a preeminent gathering of purpose-driven business leaders meeting at the crossroads of sustainability and culture to highlight the solutions needed to address the businesses’ most pressing climate challenges.

There will be meaningful discussions about sustainability, renewables, the green economy, extreme weather events and forced displacement, and food insecurity.

Each of the panels is, we believe, critical to understanding the peril facing Earth. In other words, each is worthy of its own story. 

While many have embraced climate action as a business imperative, setting ambitious climate commitments and transitioning to a net zero carbon future requires significant investments in new technologies, infrastructure, and practices. Financing these investments is a critical challenge. So how can we ensure those targets are met? 

The first panel of the summit – The Green Economy: Financing the Transition to Net Zero – will explore the key challenges of transitioning to a net zero carbon future. And how companies, governments, and investors can build momentum around the shift to a decarbonized economy by investing in climate action and providing innovative solutions that maximize purpose and profits.

We believe the run-up to COP28 in the UAE later this year is the right time to start conversations that translate into action. The climate conference lends a unique opportunity for the region to showcase its leadership and commitment toward a sustainable energy and climate future. The panel Beyond Words: How COP28 Can Translate Climate Action into Tangible Results will explore potential challenges and opportunities in driving the transition to a sustainable energy system and the role of government and businesses in creating lasting change. 

The other common thread in sustainable economy and climate change is a focus on how our actions today will impact the world tomorrow. A circular economy is a promising solution for businesses seeking ways to reduce their environmental impact and achieve operational sustainability. There will be a panel on Closing the Loop: How the Circular Economy Can Help Businesses Achieve Sustainability, where experts will discuss how circular economy principles can be integrated into broader sustainability initiatives and the role of government policies and regulations. 

And as the world seeks sustainable and equitable growth, top business executives, policymakers, and thought leaders are expected to take bold action to achieve this. The panel From Ambition to Action: The Role of Leadership in Climate Action will highlight best practices and success stories of sustainability and explore leadership’s critical role in turning their companies’ goals into tangible actions. 

The summit will delve into crucial climate topics impacting business and the planet — from evaluating climate ambition to understanding what matters to businesses to be sustainable and beyond. 

The Green Goals Summit, with consulting firm Oliver Wyman as the official advisory partner, will take place in Dubai on May 17. Register here to join leaders and experts to understand what will shape our planet and businesses in the coming years.