As Dubai emerges as a top destination where high networth individuals are making the city their new home, the real estate sector needs to rise to this surging demand. Such opportunities to create spaces to live, do business and enjoy life for billionaires present a unique challenge.

How do we sustainably align Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles with property development? These individuals are not only rich but socially conscious, respectful to the environment they plan to live in, and aware of all the evolving social and regulatory norms guiding a sustainable life.

Such global citizens are not buying an asset, but investing in an experience to shape the future of generations yet to come. According to the Global Alliance of Buildings and Construction - founded at COP21 and hosted by the United Nations’ Environment Programme - the construction and operations of real estate properties generate 37 per cent of energy-related carbon emissions. Developers and other stakeholders, including architects and consultants, now need to incorporate sustainability requirements into property designs, pre-construction processes, construction guidelines, material usage and handling, as well as all related activities.

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To ensure such efforts are not compromised despite cost pressures, guidelines and directives must be followed and communicated with everybody associated with the project on-ground and regular check-ups and audits must be committed. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has been engaging with industry stakeholders from the UAE’s priority sectors, such as cement, manufacturing, waste, transport, and energy, through monthly stakeholder assemblies to chalk out the National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA) as a fundamental step of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.

As part of the process, the MOCCAE rolled out the UAE Climate-Responsible Companies Pledge in August to increase the engagement of the private sector in the decarbonisation drive, attracting the involvement of more than 21 companies across key sectors, like cement, aluminium and steel. Needless to say, the real estate ecosystem embodies all these core sectors, including energy, and the pathway they opt for towards sustainability will define how the real estate sector will perform on the sustainability front.

True transparency on sustainability

Dubai’s real estate players should keep existing and potential customers informed of all these developments at a sectorial and project level so that they are also involved in this major initiative to fulfil the country’s climate commitments. Apart from reaching out to individual customers, real estate companies should adopt the growing practice of coming out with annual sustainability reports in conjunction with performance statements.

Pursuant to the construction phase, efficient consumption of energy and treatment of discharges are two of the major parameters on which the sustainability of a project would be assessed. Here, too, communication with property owners and other stakeholders should be maintained transparently so that customers feel proud of their ownership.

After all, sustainability is not following some norms or ticking some boxes: it’s a way of life.

The wider acceptability of such a life would largely depend on how it is promoted and communicated.

Source: Gulf News

The role of SMEs in economic development is well recognised, but their role in improving environmental sustainability has received less attention.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a cornerstone of Middle Eastern economies, accounting for over 90 per cent of all businesses and serving as a major source of new job creation, according to a report released by the IMF.

SMEs’ contribution to shaping growing economies and driving social, economic, and environmental change, makes it hard to ignore the collective impact on a country’s development.

Each SME’s individual environmental impact is relatively small when compared to large corporations. But when taken together, the SME sector has a major environmental impact.

The Living Business programme helps businesses of all sizes become more competitive and productive by incorporating socially and environmentally sustainable practices into their business operations. By offering one-on-one expert strategic guidance and consultancy that helps them better understand sustainability practices and regulatory compliance, while also facilitating networking opportunities with the larger business and sustainability communities.

Driving awareness of sustainability with cleaning products

For eco-cleaning services companies such as Green Touches, it has faced challenges from

the lack of financial support to develop and source new ingredients, to marketing its products and educating sceptical customers, such as by spreading awareness of natural cleaning products and how chemical cleaners affect household air pollution.

“One of the biggest challenges we face when marketing a natural cleaning product is scepticism and lack of knowledge. Joining the Living Business programme helped us create a knowledge exchange and spark a conversation about the impact and causes of household pollution,” says Adrienne Doolan, Chief Executive Office at Green Touches.

Launched in 2017, Green Touches has helped improve business environments across Dubai by striking the perfect balance between hygiene and sustainability. The UAE-based start-up achieves this by manufacturing its own natural cleaning products using nanotechnology while reducing the products’ carbon footprint.

“Companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint must look at their supply chain and understand the environmental impact of the products they are using/ manufacturing,” Doolan says. For example, a product’s water footprint accounts for the amount of water that is consumed and polluted in all processing stages of its production.

Chemically produced bleaches, general-purpose cleaners and laundry products are produced using large amounts of water. Doolan says that for commercial products, it takes 17 litres of water to produce a single litre of bleach. One kilo of the chlorine used in such products is produced using between four to six litres of fresh water.

From start to finish, these products are pollutants, she says. By contrast, one litre of water produces an equivalent one litre of Green Touches cleaning solution.

“Not only is our manufacturing process sustainable and eco-friendly, but our cleaning services are also entirely green,” she says. “Living Business helped us amplify that message with networking amongst potential clients and investors to further spread our message and to support our goal of growing our business beyond the UAE,” she adds.

Reducing carbon footprints through circularity and innovation

The nature of mass-produced furniture has serious environmental consequences that are hard to overlook. From being disposable to requiring special transportation methods, fast furniture results in extensive waste of resources. Luckily, eco-friendly furniture brands like RePlaste are making great strides to become more sustainable.

RePlaste, a sustainable material design studio, based between Abu Dhabi and Pakistan, upcycles plastic waste into circular products.

RePlaste’s most famous material, Sapor, is a 100% recycled and 100% recyclable plastic composite that is pressed into sheets to be used for kitchen surfaces, furniture, floors and tiles, and more. Being circular, water resistant, termite-proof and lightweight, Sapor offers an alternative to marble and wood.

“Plastic pollution is a global, growing problem, and our society still doesn't see the true impact of plastic. We believe our products can help change that perception,” says Hamza Haidar, Founding Partner at RePlaste.

With circularity and modularity at the core of its business, RePlaste clients can trade in old pieces in exchange for credit towards their next purchase or gift cards. RePlaste’s modular furniture also allows clients to fix or update their furniture product by simply ordering a single component of the product, for instance, a single table leg, at a subsidised rate instead of ordering the whole product or sending it to a landfill.

Over the past year, RePlaste has upcycled around 5 tonnes of post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste obtained from the UAE, Pakistan, and Canada. “We see plastic waste not as a residual product but as a valuable beginning of a new cycle. Over the course of six months, we reground 750kg (5000$+ post upcycling value) of our own cutting offshoots and production waste. Thirty square meters of Sapor sheets are made from 650kgs post-consumer, single-use plastic. Every product we create at RePlaste is made with the environment in mind,” Haidar says.

Now RePlaste has been able to deliver further environmental benefits. Getting its products to customers also uses resources. RePlaste realised it could reduce its own operational footprint – and pass the benefit onto its clients – during a consultation with Living Business.

“During one of the seminars held by Living Business, we re-evaluated our shipping methods. By flat packing our modular products, we were able to reduce the number of trips for deliveries hence reducing our carbon footprint and cutting down on transportation costs,” Haidar says.

Building a socially responsible business in line with ESG values

While most people perceive corporate sustainability as eco-friendly practices that are implemented within an organisation, sustainability is also the ability of companies to positively influence social and economic development.

Leonardo Herman, Managing Director of Kiklos Architects, says programs like Living Business helped the UAE-based architectural and interior design studio build a socially responsible business that adheres to strict ESG values.

“At Kiklos Architects we’ve always been keen on sustainability practices in the office. Whether they’re baby steps like sustainable waste management, driving 30,000km in an electric car as a mode of business transportation or saving on potential paper consumption by going completely electronic from day one, at Kiklos Architects no effort is too small,” Herman says.

“Sustainability is a gradual approach and if everyone does a little bit, it’s still better than nothing,” he says.

Kiklos Architects joined the Living Business program to reinforce social governance within their organisation by putting several policies and documentation in place. The firm has obtained the ISO 14001 and 9001 certifications and is currently waiting on certification from B Corp, a designation indicating that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency.

Embedding sustainability within an organisation is a long but rewarding journey. With support from programs like Living Business, enterprises of all sizes can benefit from increased resource efficiency, circular economy solutions and improved productivity and growth.

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) of Dubai has been recognized with a MENA Green Building Award for its research into a sustainable air-cooling system that could be deployed in Dubai’s harsh desert climate. Faculty from the University’s Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering partnered with energy experts at an Italian firm, Graded SpA, to design and optimize the system, which could deliver energy savings of up to 20%.

The award was presented to Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Dr Ghalib Kahwaji, at a recent ceremony hosted at the Movenpick Hotel, Bur Dubai. The University was the only higher education institution represented among the award-winners at the 11th edition of the annual event, which celebrates the region’s green building movement. This year’s awards honoured the outstanding work of private and public sector entities, associations, consultants, and sustainability practitioners, who were recognized for excellence across 16 different categories.

Revealing the background and technology behind the RIT Dubai project, Dr Kahwaji said, “The partnership with Graded started when we were both looking to harness the same technology from different perspectives. Our aim was to experiment with cooling systems for the desert climate, while Graded were exploring heating solutions for cold weather environments.

“We began the research collaboration as a pilot project in 2020, with the common goal of promoting energy efficiency using a ground-coupled heat exchanger (GCHE). This involves drilling boreholes and making use of the earth’s near-constant temperature to manage heat and to reduce the power needed to cool or warm the air in comparison with conventional systems.”

Explaining the process and results, Dr Kahwaji continued, “We conducted a numerical investigation to optimize the design of GCHEs, followed by an experimental study to explore the performance, efficacy and feasibility of the system under GCC conditions. The results show that the GCHE system is effective in saving energy with a maximum recorded energy saving of up to 20 percent, and an average of 7-12 percent. The system is perfectly suited to workplace applications where the load is mainly during the day.”

The project is also the subject of a research paper authored by RIT Dubai faculty in collaboration with the Graded team. The research was presented by Dr Kahwaji and received the best paper award at the 6th International Conference on Energy Harvesting, Storage, and Transfer, hosted in June at Niagara Falls, Canada.

Building on the success of the pilot project, the research team now plans to scale up the innovation, to be deployed in different settings. Dr Kahwaji concluded, “The technology can be coupled with refrigeration systems for residential and commercial buildings as a passive method of heat rejection, to increase the systems’ efficiency and improve their performance, leading to energy savings and sustainability. Ultimately, we hope to be able to install this system in a district cooling plant to support energy conservation at the community level.”

Sustainable progress within the Middle East’s travel, tourism and hospitality space is advancing rapidly, as the industry looks ahead to Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023The sustainable trends of green airlines, eco hospitality, sustainable attractions, locally sourced produce and forward-thinking government initiatives will represent key focuses at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 1-4 May next year.

In line with its theme of ‘Working Towards Net Zero’, the 30th edition of ATM will see public and private sector experts from around the world gather in the UAE to explore the decarbonised future of global travel.

The upcoming edition of the event will capitalise on the Middle East’s status as a world leader in green innovation, providing a forum in which travel, tourism and hospitality professionals can showcase sustainable advancements while sharing knowledge and examples of best practice from across the sector.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The 30th edition of ATM will not only drive home the importance of working towards net zero within the Middle East’s tourism sector, but also showcase the practical steps that are being taken across our industry to achieve regional and global sustainability goals.

“ATM has officially commenced its journey to net zero and its upcoming edition will shine a spotlight on challenges and opportunities connected with responsible tourism across our region and beyond,” Curtis added. “From aviation and attractions to resorts and dining, we look forward to exploring the role that the Middle East is playing – and will continue to play – in shaping a decarbonised global travel sector.”

According to Sustainable Travel International, tourism-related activities account for approximately 8% of worldwide carbon emissions. In preparation for ATM 2023, the event’s organisers have highlighted five sustainable trends that have already gained significant momentum in the Middle East, and which look set to play a central role in the industry’s ongoing journey to decarbonisation.

Greener airlines

Aviation companies the world over are investing in cutting-edge innovations to help minimise the impact of air travel on the environment, and Middle East-based airlines are playing a leading role in this transition. Etihad Airways, for example, recently received the Environmental Sustainability Innovation of the Year award from the Centre of Aviation (CAPA) for its progress towards net-zero targets and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Not only does the Abu Dhabi-based airline expect to cut single-use plastic waste by 80% by the end of this year, but it is also on course to achieve a 20% reduction in passenger fleet emissions intensity by 2025.

Elsewhere in the region, Qatar Airways is making significant progress towards lowering its carbon emissions through similar initiatives, such as waste reduction and water conservation. The airline has also made an array of aerodynamic improvements to its fleet and is working to drive sustainability through quieter, more efficient engines.

Eco hotels and resorts

As airlines strive to improve the sustainable performance of their aircraft, hotels and resorts are also working diligently to minimise their environmental impact at ground level. Earlier this month, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced that it had partnered with Hotelbeds to help increase inbound travel while promoting green hospitality offerings across the emirate.

On a broader level, the Middle East is already home to a diverse selection of eco-conscious hotels and resorts, many of which have eliminated single-use plastics, integrated energy-efficient lighting and utilities, and incorporated renewable and environmentally friendly materials as part of their development and upkeep. When coupled with renewable and low-carbon energy sources such as solar power, these measures are enabling tourists across the region to enjoy premium guest experiences that don’t cost the earth.

Sustainable attractions and activities

The Middle East features a burgeoning array of attractions and activities that have been specifically designed to result in a negligible environmental impact and, in some cases, even make a positive contribution to local ecosystems and communities. Sand Sherpa in Dubai, for instance, delivers eco-adventures ranging from sustainable camping to wildlife safaris in conservation areas.

Elsewhere in the UAE, Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, first developed for Expo 2020 Dubai and now located in Expo City Dubai, continues to wow guests with an immersive journey through forest roots and ocean depths. This engaging, playful and reflective experience is designed to take visitors of all ages on an emotional journey, allowing them to explore the impact that our choices have on the environment and how they can help preserve our planet for future generations.

Locally sourced produce

The Middle East’s hospitality sector is making significant sustainability inroads through the roll-out of sustainable food and beverage (F&B) offerings. Dubai-based restaurant Lowe, for instance, has focused on delivering delicious meals that have no detrimental impact on the planet since opening its doors in 2019. Beirut’s Baron, meanwhile, uses organic produce to create all its recipes, whereas Abu Dhabi’s Sanderson’s uses corn starch in the manufacture of its eco-friendly food tubs and cutlery.

Top-down strategies

All these trends and more are being incentivised and facilitated by a series of government-led sustainable tourism strategies, which are in effect across the Middle East. For example, the Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) and Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) – both of which form part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) – launched a new course earlier this month to enhance sustainable tourism offerings as the emirate prepares to host COP28 in November 2023. Available on Dubai’s innovative learning platform, Dubai Way, this programme will empower participants to drive water and energy savings through effective green governance and procurement practices.

Elsewhere in the region, the Oman 2040 Tourism Strategy aims to improve sustainability within the sultanate’s luxury travel sector within the coming two decades. Saudi Arabia is also working to establish itself as a sustainable tourism destination through projects that combine world-class guest experiences and environmental conservation, as it pushes ahead with its ambitious goal to increase inbound tourism by 10 million visitors annually as part of Vision 2030.

The collective commitment of regional leaders to the development of a sustainable travel industry will offer an ideal framework for the panels, workshops and conversations that take place during ATM 2023, as policymakers, industry leaders and tourism professionals from around the world come together to catalyse our journey to net zero.
ATM 2023 will provide a global platform for regional experts to explore their sector’s sustainable future ahead of COP28, which will take place in the Expo City Dubai in November of next year.

Each year, ATM highlights specific aspects of travel that will be pivotal in determining the direction the industry will take moving forward. The 2023 edition will explore how innovative sustainable travel trends are likely to evolve, allowing participants to identify growth strategies within key vertical sectors.

ATM 2023 will also feature a sustainability category at its annual exhibitor awards for the first time. Exhibiting organisations will be recognised based on the extent to which they have considered the environmental impact of their stands, as well as their efforts to reduce or offset their carbon footprints.

The ATM 2023 conference programme is being specifically developed to address sustainability issues across the travel and tourism industry, with commentary from leadership figures representing a variety of market segments such as destinations, travel technology, airlines, cruises, hospitality, car rentals and hotels.

ATM 2022 attracted more than 24,000 visitors and hosted over 31,000 participants, including 1,600 exhibitors and attendees from 151 countries, across 10 halls at DWTC.

SHARM EL SHEIKH, 12th November, 2022 (WAM) -- The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) introduced the second edition of the UAE Green Business Toolkit in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), as part of its participation in the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), held in the Egyptian city of Sharm El Sheikh.

The move aligns with the UAE’s pathway to net-zero and supports sustainable economic development.

The launch took place during a session, headlined by Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, and moderated by Helena McLeod, Deputy Director-General of GGGI.

Almheiri said, “Our ability to tackle the challenge of climate change and deliver tangible results in its mitigation and adaptation depends on the active participation of all sectors in our net-zero efforts. Therefore, the UAE prioritises private sector engagement in all its future plans. The Toolkit is part of MOCCAE’s efforts to enhance the contribution of private sector companies to the fight against climate change by adopting green and sustainable practices in line with the objectives of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.”

The UAE Green Business Toolkit 2.0 seeks to benefit from the business sector’s increasing awareness about the importance of achieving net-zero and building a low-carbon economy.

The document offers a comprehensive definition of the net-zero concept, explains its role in creating new business opportunities and reducing operating costs in the long term, and highlights the gains that come with the pursuit of a net-zero strategy. These include strengthening investor confidence and customer loyalty as well as boosting global competitiveness and the ability to attract talent.

The second edition also draws a roadmap for developing an integrated company net-zero strategy. It outlines a four-step approach that involves measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, setting emission reduction targets, implementing measures to reach the targets, and linking the targets with the country’s economy-wide decarbonisation efforts.

In order to provide the private sector with a clear understanding of the benefits of the green business ecosystem, MOCCAE launched the National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA) in May 2022. The series of stakeholder assemblies, dedicated to a different industry every month, explores sectoral requirements, priorities, and future directions related to climate neutrality.

The UAE Green Business Toolkit 2.0 outlines 92 measures businesses can take to become greener, such as switching to clean sources of energy, electrifying the company vehicle fleet, and replacing conventional raw materials with low-carbon alternatives.

MOCCAE launched the first edition of the UAE Green Business Toolkit in 2018 with the intent to inspire all types of companies nationwide to take the first step to becoming more eco-friendly and socially responsible by creating awareness.

It provided businesses, whether established or emerging, with all the information necessary to green their operations with a focus on three main areas – green offices, green procurement, and green products – and defined optimal implementation mechanisms.

In the four years since, public awareness of the critical need for sustainability has seen tremendous growth.

Notwithstanding mounting adverse climate-related impacts, the need to prioritise sustainable practices has only become more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the UAE economy pursues its green recovery plans, increased attention is required to manage environmental, social, and climate-related risks to prevent future disruptions.

The second edition of the Toolkit supports the country’s ambition to reduce GHG emissions to net-zero by 2050, as well as the Principles of the 50, the UAE Green Agenda 2015-2030, and the National Climate Change Plan of the UAE 2017-2050.

Going green offers businesses multiple benefits and creates new growth opportunities. In addition to protecting the environment and conserving natural resources, it cuts down on operational costs, reduces waste, and boosts product competitiveness, with environmental friendliness becoming an important global quality standard. The application of green economy principles in the workplace also enhances employee health and happiness and improves customer satisfaction.

The UAE Green Business Toolkit 2.0 aims to build on the capacity of companies to adapt to a global economy in transition, and mobilise the private sector to dedicate resources to contributing to the country’s climate targets.

Etihad Airways is implementing contrail prevention on a special flight during the COP27 event as part of its continuing partnership with aerospace company Satavia.

The airline is set to operate a dedicated flight from Washington Dulles Airport to Abu Dhabi on November 13, combining Satavia contrail prevention alongside other operational efficiencies, to demonstrate the potential for net-zero commercial aviation using current technology.

Building on Etihad’s weekly contrail prevention exercises with Satavia, the flight will be the first Etihad transatlantic crossing to actively manage non-CO2 climate effects from contrail formation, tackling a sustainability challenge responsible for up to 60 per cent of aviation’s climate footprint.

Mariam Alqubaisi, Etihad’s Head of Sustainability & Business Excellence, said: “The Etihad/Satavia collaboration demonstrates the possibility of dramatic sustainability advances in day-to-day commercial operations.

“In 2022 alone, Satavia technology has enabled us to eliminate over 6,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent climate impact. We are delighted to extend this partnership on this transatlantic flight during COP27, tackling aviation’s non-CO2 impacts with industry-leading technical innovation.”

Aircraft-generated condensation trails, or contrails, cause surface warming responsible for up to two-thirds of aviation’s climate impact, significantly outweighing direct CO2 emissions from aircraft engines. Transatlantic routes such as Washington to Abu Dhabi typically combine high air traffic density with atmospheric conditions that can lead to significant non-CO2 climate impact. In winter operations, cool and moist conditions frequently lead to strongly warming contrails.

In addition to enabling contrail prevention in day-to-day flight operations, Satavia conducts post-flight climate impact analysis for conversion into future carbon credits, with an initial world-first trade by auction planned with AirCarbon Exchange in December 2022.

Satavia CEO, Dr Adam Durant said: “Our contrail platform DECISIONX:NETZERO supports smarter, greener aviation. By implementing minimal changes to a small percentage of flights, eco-conscious operators like Etihad can eliminate the majority of their non-CO2 climate footprint with essentially no impact on day-to-day operations and on shorter timescales than other green aviation interventions. For transatlantic operations, up to 80 per cent of contrail climate impact can be avoided by rerouting just over 10 per cent of flights.”

The Greenliner flight will combine contrail prevention with SAF Book & Claim via Etihad partners World Energy, with purchased SAF delivered into the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) fuel system for use by other flights. The additional cost will be mitigated by subsidies, by Etihad’s Corporate Conscious Choices programme, and by trading Satavia-generated future carbon credits.

“The aviation industry can’t achieve climate-neutral operations without managing non-CO2 effects,” said Alqubaisi. “We look forward to our continued collaboration with Satavia, expanding the art of the possible and accelerating progress towards climate-neutral aviation.”

RECAPP has marked its second anniversary with the launch of the first B2B digital recycling platform in the UAE. GoRECAPP.com will enable UAE businesses to deploy recycling boxes on their premises, providing adapted digital solutions for retail stores, offices, schools, sport facilities, hotels, restaurants and any other types of organisations. RECAPP announced the launch yesterday at 25 Hours Hotel to an audience of 100+ including C-level executives in the F&B industry, sustainability leaders, retailers, and media.

RECAPP was launched by Veolia Near & Middle East, the benchmark company for ecological transformation, in November 2020 as the first recycling app in the UAE, collecting plastic bottles and aluminium cans from the doorsteps of households free-of-charge. Today, RECAPP has transformed into a holistic digital recycling solution for both individuals and businesses, with third-party carriers collecting several categories of small waste streams that are often poorly managed.

Businesses can place an order on GoRECAPP.com for a one-time recycling box or subscribe for a weekly collection. A number of options are available for the recycling boxes, targeting small waste streams usually not well recovered, including plastic bottles, cans, paper, coffee capsules, e-waste, batteries, and lightbulbs.

RECAPP also now offers a brand program for companies to deploy recycling boxes in their own stores or in their retail partners’ stores to collect end-of-life products brought back by customers.

Jérôme Viricel, General Manager of RECAPP at Veolia Near & Middle East said, “We are proud to launch the RECAPP e-commerce website and our broader business offering, the latest in our efforts to provide a comprehensive digital recycling solution in the UAE for individuals, businesses, and waste management companies. Our new services will empower local organisations to close the loop, diverting their waste away from landfills and towards RECAPP’s segregation facilities in order to help keep the environment clean for all.”

Additionally, GoRECAPP.com includes a blog discussing important topics related to sustainability and sharing tips on how to adopt an eco-friendlier lifestyle.

Since its launch two years ago, RECAPP has built a community of over 40,000 registered users and collected 500 tonnes of recyclables and over 25 million bottles and cans. On average, RECAPP completes 2,300 collections per week with 115,000 collections honoured to date, and over 5.5 kg per collection with a rejection rate of less than 4%.

Today, RECAPP has deployed its bins across 40 schools, helping to raise awareness of recycling among the young generation, as well as 50 offices, bringing a practical ESG solution for brands and companies. Additionally, there are already six brand owners working hand-in-hand with RECAPP to promote the local recycling reflex, namely Agthia, Rainbow, Nestle, The Coca-Cola Company, Borouge, and Spinneys. RECAPP has also onboarded 18 reward partners including Carrefour, Al Ain and Noon, where users can redeem points, incentivising positive and environmental behaviours with more than 35,000 promotional vouchers offered to date.

In the coming year, RECAPP aims to work in partnership with local and governmental authorities to make their digital tools available to other waste collectors, enabling the expansion of the RECAPP service into additional territories.

A testament to its success in achieving its mission of promoting sustainability, RECAPP was named the Gold Winner in the Environmental Sustainability Programme category at the Gulf Sustainability Awards 2022.

Source: The Arabian Marketer, Sana Mahmud

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) today announced the publication of a Consultation Paper on a proposed comprehensive Sustainable Finance Regulatory Framework, covering rules on sustainability-orientated investment funds, managed portfolios and bonds as well as a framework on environmental disclosures by ADGM companies.

The measures contained in the paper aim to enable an accelerated growth of a sustainable finance ecosystem in the jurisdiction and support the UAE’s transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

This proposed comprehensive regulatory framework intends to build upon ADGM’s existing efforts to foster a vibrant and thriving sustainable finance hub within its jurisdiction, stemming from ADGM's beliefs in its development as a hub for sustainable finance that can play a critical part in supporting the allocation of capital to economic activities that help the achievement of net-zero emissions targets, both locally and globally.

To facilitate this, the proposed framework will establish minimum standards for a wide range of sustainability-orientated investment products and services, which are set to help nurture transparency and investor confidence in the green credentials of those products and services, advancing ADGM’s drive to become a leading centre of sustainable finance.

The proposals encompass:
• The region’s first regulatory framework for green investment funds to channel capital towards environmentally sustainable activities.

• An innovative regulatory framework for climate transition investment funds to channel capital to assets and entities that are on a path to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

• A regulatory framework for green and climate transition discretionary portfolio management services.

• A regulatory framework for green bonds and sustainability-linked bonds offered in ADGM.

• Building upon ADGM’s existing disclosure requirements to create region’s most comprehensive environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures framework, to now cover disclosure by listed companies, regulated financial services firms and large private commercial entities.

In addition to proposing a framework for companies to undertake ESG disclosures, ADGM is leading by example by becoming the first international financial centre in the world to be carbon-neutral. Another example is also in the process of facilitating through its regulatory framework the establishment of the world’s first regulated voluntary carbon exchange and clearing house, where carbon offsets (Environmental Instruments), while traded and settled as Spot Commodities, are treated as regulated Financial Instruments within ADGM.

ADGM will facilitate the growth of an ecosystem of environmentally conscious companies that demonstrate sustainability as a core facet of their business models, such as by disclosing their ESG data and taking measures to become carbon-neutral.

Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said, “Sustainable finance is a strategic priority and a focus sector for ADGM as we seek to contribute to advancing the UAE’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target and prepare for the UAE to host COP 28 in 2023. With considerable effort and resources ADGM is dedicated to fostering a sustainable finance ecosystem. We are already seeing the fruits of this, evidenced by sustainability-focused products and services establishing here and the approaching launch of the world’s first regulated voluntary carbon exchange and clearing house.

"This proposed regulatory framework will enhance our position as the leading sustainable finance hub in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region. With an internationally recognised regulatory framework and proximity to a number of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and private wealth, ADGM is well-positioned to host financial products and services that will make a positive impact on the UAE’s (and global) efforts to achieve net-zero.”

This Consultation Paper highlights the significant efforts being made by ADGM to advance the sustainability agenda through its regulatory framework to provide transparency in order protect investors’ interests. These changes will be essential components of our regulatory framework to help advance the transition to net-zero.

Source: WAM, Amjad Saleh/ Khoder Nashar

Dubai: A new course has been launched to enhance sustainability in Dubai’s tourism sector as the UAE prepares to host COP28 (Conference of the Parties) Climate Change Conference, at Expo City Dubai in 2023, which will further address climate change to create a more sustainable and progressive economic future.

The Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) and Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST), both part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), have upgraded the ‘Dubai Sustainable Tourism’ course that is available on DCT’s innovative learning platform, Dubai Way.

With a range of new modules, including educational segments, focused on water and energy saving, how to implement a Green Team and effective procurement, the much-sought after DCT course will now empower participants with the knowledge on how to abide by and operate with sustainable principles across the travel and hospitality sectors.

Dubai Way is a world-class training platform offering a broad range of educational and awareness programmes for people employed in tourist-facing roles across the tourism ecosystem. Supporting those who interact with visitors on a day-to-day basis, Dubai Way offers specialist training focused on history, culture and heritage and customer service, all of which are critical to delivering exceptional experiences for visitors to Dubai.

More than 2,000 students have graduated from the sustainability course since its launch, highlighting the necessity and effectiveness of this programme, with hundreds more students set to graduate in 2023.

The impact

Since the launch of the sustainability course in 2019, it has contributed significantly towards boosting the city’s sustainability credentials, within the wider DST initiative to position Dubai as tourism destination focused on and implementing sustainable practices.

For example, a number of hotels have developed water bottling plants, installed solar panels and implemented water saving initiatives. In recent years, the tourism sector has also witnessed a proliferation of on-site farms, generating locally sourced greens as well as hotels supporting local suppliers of fresh produce, poultry, seafood and dairy products, aligned with UAE’s food security initiatives.

Case studies

In addition to new content, the enhanced DCT course also features best practice case studies from hospitality and tourism leaders including; Atlantis The Palm, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Armani Hotel Dubai, Hilton Garden Inn, Mall of the Emirates and JA Resort Jebel Ali.

It also includes information on the pioneering sustainability initiative ‘Dubai Can’ launched in February 2022 Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. The module focuses on educating tourism professionals and future sector leaders about the Dubai Can initiative and the significant success it has witnessed since its launch, with the introduction of around 50 water filters in popular tourism destinations such as Kite Beach, Dubai Marina, JLT, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Harbour, Madinat Jumeirah and more.

Why it is important

Essa Bin Hader, general manager at Dubai College of Tourism, said: “The world class training programmes developed by Dubai College of Tourism are designed to empower our tourism workforce with in-depth knowledge that is so critical to ensuring that Dubai remains the preferred destination of tourists, as we continually strive to realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the most visited city in the world and a global liveability hub.

He said the highly popular Sustainable Tourism course also supports Dubai’s mission to become a leading sustainable destination in line with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 initiative. “As we countdown to the UAE’s hosting of COP28 at Expo City in 2023, we expect staff at the numerous establishments across the tourism ecosystem to be aligned and aware of all the requirements, and their roles and responsibilities in achieving the UAE’s sustainability goals. The new courses that are being introduced by the college will further highlight the important role played by the Dubai Way platform to ensure that all those engaged within the tourism industry are gaining an understanding of how important is sustainability to the industry and how they can play a key part in achieving a greener future.”

Unique selling points

The Dubai Way platform provides the opportunity for all those engaged in the tourism industry to enhance their knowledge and skills, whilst also contributing to Dubai’s sustainable growth. By better understanding the tourism industry, Dubai’s unique selling points and the key pillars of the Dubai brand, tourism industry employees will be able to interact seamlessly with both visitors and residents from all cultures and nationalities, addressing queries and questions, and ultimately helping to leave a lasting impression of Dubai on visitors. Both the courses and the Dubai Way platform provide gifted young individuals the grounding they need to join the tourism workforce, and eventually contribute towards further enhancing the visitor experience.

Whilst Dubai is already globally associated with exceptional service and tourism offerings, the city continues to look to enhance its reputation and provide guests with even more extraordinary experiences. The range of courses available at DCT are focused on enhancing the knowledge and skills of Dubai-based talent and providing guests with unforgettable memories of the city. The courses span across various tourism trends and themes, encouraging prospective students to work together to promote Dubai to the world as a must-visit destination.

Sharjah Taxi, a subsidiary of Sharjah Asset Management Company, investment arm of the Government of Sharjah, is seeking to increase the number of its hybrid vehicle fleet cars that operate dually on both fuel and electricity. This decision is in line with the Emirate’s vision to rationalize the use of energy, in accordance with its development goals and agenda.

Sharjah Taxi had previously completed hybrid vehicle conversions towards 65% of its vehicle fleet in the Eastern Region, which now enjoys environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicles, and has significantly reduced pollution caused by vehicle exhausts. The company aims to reach 100% of hybrid vehicle conversion of its entire fleet of cars.

Khalid Al Kindi, Executive Director of Sharjah Taxi, stated: “Converting regular fleet vehicles to hybrid vehicles makes results in a substantial and effective contribution to securing an environmentally-friendly environment and providing a safe, clean, attractive, and sustainable environment that enhances the reputation and prestige of the Emirate of Sharjah. Such a step is consistent with the directions of the Sharjah Government, and is based on the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The Emirate, in all fields and sectors, strives to remain environmentally-friendly and eco-conscious, according to the highest standards and specifications.”

He continued: “As part of our plan and strategy, we seek to convert about 60% of the Sharjah Taxi fleet operating at Sharjah International Airport and Sharjah City to environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicles by the end of the current year.”

He highlighted the ongoing global issue of environmental protection and preservation, and how the Emirate of Sharjah and State institutions have proactively acted with these goals in mind. ‘’Sharjah boasts manifestations of a clean environment throughout the Emirate, in work spaces, institutions, and public places, and continues to strive to keep the Emirate free of various forms of pollution,'' he said.

Source: Zawya