World Government Summit 2025 Opens in Dubai

The World Government Summit (WGS) 2025 opened on Tuesday under the theme Shaping Future Governments, attracting record international participation. Running until February 14, the 12th edition of the summit brings together heads of state, government officials, global institutions, and leading experts to explore emerging trends in governance and critical sectors.

The event features multiple forums, including the Future of Work Forum, Government Experience Exchange Forum, Government Services Forum, Artificial Intelligence Forum, Future of Education Forum, Future of Mobility Forum, and Gender Balance Forum, among others. India’s Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, participated in key sessions, including the High-Level Roundtable on the Future of Mobility and the XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable. Speaking at XDG 2045, Minister Yadav emphasised two key priorities for developing countries.

He highlighted the need for capacity building in clean technology, electric vehicles, and climate-resilient infrastructure to support sustainable development. Additionally, he stressed the importance of securing adequate financial resources to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in combating climate change and safeguarding environmental systems. The minister also



elaborated on India’s Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) initiative, introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Mission LiFE promotes a pro-planet lifestyle that embraces sustainability at the individual, community, and national levels, ensuring that the choices we make today contribute to a better future,” Yadav explained. He reiterated India’s commitment to green growth, highlighting afforestation, sustainable agriculture, and the development of green infrastructure as integral components of its development strategy. In another discussion, Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary-General of OPEC, underscored the substantial investment requirements for the oil sector to meet rising demand.

Al Ghais noted that cumulative investments in the sector are projected to reach $17.4 trillion between 2024 and 2050, averaging $640 billion annually. He highlighted that exploration and production would absorb the largest share, requiring $14.2 trillion, or around $525 billion annually, while refining, manufacturing, transportation, and storage would need investments of $1.9 trillion and $1.3 trillion, respectively.

WGS 2025 continues to serve as a platform for global dialogue on the future of governance, innovation, and sustainable development.