Tackling these challenges requires public private partnership (PPP) as neither of the two sectors can do it alone with a new or open mindset. "We specifically need two types of PPP for development - one relating to communication and awareness building and the second for the implementation for us to reap the economic benefits of the broader energy technology agenda," Hakim told Arab News on the sidelines of the Gulf Environment Forum, which ended earlier this week after a three-day run. "We not only need the economic and ecological benefits of an action plan, but also owe it to people given the responsibility and accountability that come with the public and private leadership positions we all occupy," he said.

In today's economic and ecological climate, lighting can help save money as well as energy and carbon emissions, Hakim said. If all the lighting in the world were switched to energy efficient lighting (EEL) solutions, we can save over $180 billion on electricity and 630 million tons of CO2, the equivalent output of 600 power plants or 1,800 million barrels of oil in a year. And if we switch all residential lighting in Saudi Arabia to EEL solutions, we can save up to 15 million barrels of oil spent on electricity per year, the equivalent of five medium-sized power stations, he added.

An accelerated switch to EEL will make our economies more competitive and add green collar jobs. We all know that more than 70 million job opportunities should be created in the Middle East before 2020 to avoid economic and social imbalances. "The suggestion can mean a triple-win for all involved - the environment, the user and the provider," he said.

Referring to the role of lighting in tackling climate change and in formulating an 'Arab Green Economy Initiative', Hakim said two things were relevant today. "One is the broad recognition that next to the rational and legal drivers, we need to address the emotional driver for creating the understanding of a sustainable future, which is a communication challenge. Secondly, the creation and scaling-up of concrete implementation initiatives are necessary to make the infrastructure of our cities and buildings more sustainable. Such initiatives will force a PPP financing agenda, as well as the underlying required additional policies for capacity building," he added.

With its long history in sustainable development that is driven by its longstanding environmental EcoVision action plan, the company aims to bring care to more than 500 million people, improve the energy efficiency of its total product portfolio with an average of 50 percent and double its global collection, recycling amounts and recycled materials in its products by 2015, he added.