UAE's Nawal Al-Hosany becomes first Middle Eastern recipient of prestigious energy award

Irena representative recognised for energy transition work and for encouraging women to enter sector

Dr Nawal Al Hosany dedicated her award to 'all the trailblazing women in the energy sector in the Middle East'. UAE Mission to Irena

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany, the UAE's Permanent Representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), has been honoured with the Energy Institute’s President’s Award – becoming the first person from the Middle East to receive this distinction.

This award was presented in recognition of Dr Al-Hosany's exceptional contributions to accelerating the energy transition, her advocacy for renewable energy and her efforts to encourage greater female participation in the energy sector across local, regional and international platforms, said officials.

“I am incredibly humbled and proud to receive the Energy Institute’s President’s Award,” Dr Al-Hosany told The National.

“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”.

The President’s Award is a prestigious accolade from the Energy Institute, a London-based organisation for professionals in energy-related fields, with a history of more than 90 years.

It is given to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the energy industry and have significantly contributed to the institute's goal of creating a sustainable energy future.

This future is envisioned through the acceleration of a global energy transition to net-zero emissions, aligning with efforts to combat climate change and promote environmental sustainability.

“For me, receiving the Energy Institute’s President's Award transcends one person’s impact,” said Dr Al-Hosany.

“It’s recognition of the barriers that women from the Middle East are breaking, as they increasingly drive the clean energy and climate action agenda. But, let’s be honest – we’re still a long way from where we need to be.”

The award ceremony, which also included the presentation of an honorary fellowship to Dr Al-Hosany, took place during the institute's annual event that concludes International Energy Week in London.

This served as a platform to acknowledge Dr Al-Hosany's leading role in the field of renewable energy and her advocacy work to remove barriers for women in the energy sector.

Upon receiving the award, Dr Al-Hosany dedicated it to “all the trailblazing women in the energy sector in the Middle East”, emphasising her belief in the collective effort required to drive the energy transition and create a more sustainable future.

The presentation of the award by Energy Institute president Juliet Davenport highlighted the impact of Dr Al-Hosany's work in the energy sector, both within the UAE and internationally.

Ms Davenport's remarks celebrated Dr Al-Hosany's role in advocating for renewable energies and addressing the challenges to their deployment, underlining her influence in fostering a faster transition to sustainable energy sources.

Dr Al-Hosany's recognition by the institute not only celebrates her own achievements but also marks an important moment of recognition for the Middle East's role in the global energy transition.

She looked ahead to the role women in the Middle East can play in achieving this.

“In the UAE, we are always encouraged to challenge traditional thinking; gender has never been a barrier to entry for any industry,” Dr Al-Hosany said.

“I hope that more women continue to step up and into leadership positions which can influence the trajectory of our future, as we look to meet our net-zero ambitions by mid-century.”