The Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) has announced its participation as a sponsor in the 14th edition of Al Dhafra Water Festival. Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, the Festival will be held from 10-19 March, in Al Dhafra region in Abu Dhabi.
Tadweer’s participation in Al Dhafra Water Festival, which is organised by the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee in Abu Dhabi, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, reaffirms the Company’s commitment to take part in major events in the Emirate, which contribute to preserving the Emirate’s culture and heritage and raise the public’s awareness on proper waste management and pest control.
As part of its participation as a Strategic Partner and Sponsor, Tadweer will be working before, during, and after the Festival, to carry out waste collection and transportation, pest control, and animal control services at several sites in the event to ensure a healthy environment for visitors, exhibitors, and participants. In addition, the Company will be organising awareness campaigns and providing services upon the requests of clients and camp owners taking part in the event.
Mohsen Al Ameri, Tadweer’s Western Region Branch Manager, said: “Through its participation in the event, Tadweer seeks to raise the public’s awareness on the importance of preserving the environment, and encourage them to adopt proper environmental practices. The Company also aims to enhance investment opportunities in the sector, transform waste into an economic asset, and maintain the cleanliness and aesthetic appearance of Abu Dhabi.”
“At Tadweer, we are committed to participating in major events such as Al Dhafra Water Festival, to preserve the cultural identity and heritage of Al Dhafra region for future generations. This comes as part of the company’s social responsibility and its efforts to provide services in accordance with the highest standards and practices,” he added.
Tadweer will have a pavilion at the Festival where the Company will welcome visitors, introduce them to the Company’s services and projects, answer their inquiries, and raise their awareness on improper waste disposal. The Company will also be organising a range of awareness activities, including interactive competitions for the Festival’s attendees.
During the event, Tadweer will provide specialised teams in waste collection and transportation, equipped with advanced tools and equipment, in addition to 35 containers to be distributed across various locations in the event.
The Company will allocate a team of qualified specialists to monitor stray animals such as cats, dogs, and foxes in the region, in line with the best standards and guidelines approved by local and international animal welfare societies, which take into account the safety of animals during the process of monitoring and confinement. The Center will set up cages for stray animals distributed in several festival sites so that the specialised teams can monitor the animals quickly and efficiently without disturbing the public, as part of Tadweer’s commitment to provide the highest standards of public health and safety in the Emirate.
Siemens Energy has been awarded long term service contracts for several power plants, from the Ministry of Electricity of the republic of Iraq, to improve energy stability and availability, as well as provide training, skills, and employment opportunities for Iraqis.
These contracts represent the first portion of prioritised projects under the Iraq Energy Agenda – Wave II agreement, which was signed in Berlin in January 2023 between Siemens Energy and the Ministry of Electricity of the republic of Iraq,
As part of the prioritised packages, Siemens Energy signed three long term service contracts, for five years each, for the Al Sadr, Kirkuk, and Al Rasheed power stations. This will provide maintenance and servicing to ensure the stability of these power plants which generate more than 1 gigawatts of electricity.
The contracts will also enable training and knowledge transfer to local employees of the Ministry of Electricity, as well as other local specialists, to be able to maintain the systems themselves and carry out minor repairs in the future. These contracts are envisioned to enable job opportunities for Iraqis over the next five years.
On March 7, 2023, Siemens Energy Middle East Managing Director, Dietmar Siersdorfer, signed the contract for the Kirkuk powerplant with the Director General for the north region production state company, Mr Walid Khalid, and for the Al Sadr and Al Rasheed powerplants, with the Director General for the middle region production state company, Mr Ali Ahmed. The signings were witnessed by Prime Minister of the republic of Iraq Mr Mohamed Shiaa Al Sudani, on the sidelines of a visit by Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock.
“Siemens Energy is here to support Iraq in ensuring that its people get much needed access to energy whilst decarbonising the energy system, but quick implementation is necessary to deliver these benefits. Together, we will enable homes, schools, hospitals, and industries to function and flourish and facilitate the transition to cleaner and greener energy,” said Dietmar Siersdorfer.
Siemens Energy along with the Ministries of Electricity and Oil of the republic of Iraq are collaborating to use flare gas to generate electricity and are working to determine the exact locations and quantities of available gas. The goal is to be able to announce a viable concept for significant CO2 reduction at the COP28 in Dubai later this year. The parties are also working together to explore the development of renewable energy capacity in Iraq.
Carbon Upcycling signed a strategic partnership with A3&Co.® to support the engineering and project delivery of Carbon Upcycling’s technology in the global cement and concrete industry. The partnership sets the foundation for Carbon Upcycling and A3&Co.® to pave the future of low-carbon concrete and the development of a circular economy.
The partnership comes at a critical moment as Carbon Upcycling continues to expand operations in Canada and into US and European markets. Over the next two years, Carbon Upcycling will be delivering the world’s first SCM enhancement reactor that directly bolts onto existing cement operations. The technology enables decarbonization by capturing operational emissions from cement production while reducing clinker content to lower the embodied carbon of cement. A3&Co.®’s proven track record and industry expertise will assist in both the acceleration and quality of project delivery.
Apoorv Sinha, Carbon Upcycling CEO commented: “We look forward to collaborating with A3&Co. Their extensive experience working with over 125 facilities across the globe will prove invaluable as we continue to adapt our technology for seamless integration at cement plants, enabling on-site sequestration and utilization of CO2.
This partnership marks our joint endeavour to provide industry with a clear-cut path to decarbonization, while furthering our mission to be the most impactful carbon tech company of this decade.”
Eng. Amr A. Nader, A3&Co. CEO commented: “The road to green construction starts with green cement and green concrete and SCMs plays a key role into that adding a crucial circular dimension to the sustainability of the built environment, our strategic collaboration with CUT inspires to produce green retrofit to make SCM an integral part of the cement plant operations and improve the global value addition of the sector in addition to drastically reducing the carbon footprint of cement and concrete”
With several projects to be announced across North America and Europe, this agreement is the latest in a series of partnerships by Carbon Upcycling to reduce the carbon impact of the cement and concrete industry.
The Museum of the Future’s newest showcase, the OSS Hope Simulator from SAP, was unveiled today, providing an immersive experience where visitors can see how today’s technologies could be leveraged to sustain a future space station. The launch was part of the SAP NOW event held at the museum, which explored the future of innovation, sustainability and digital transformation.
The new exhibit is the result of a strategic partnership announced between the Museum of the Future and SAP in the past year. This was one of a series of partnership agreements the museum established in order to be a key laboratory for entities from all around the world and to be able to generate futuristic and innovative technological solutions that address humanity’s greatest challenges.
The OSS Hope Simulator from SAP is situated on the ‘Tomorrow Today’ floor of the museum, a dedicated space featuring near-future technologies that have the power to transform and change the way we live. The simulator presents visitors with various scenarios that will have an impact on the Orbital Space Station (OSS) Hope, a space structure redirecting solar energy to power earth by 2071, as conceptualised by the museum. The space station is constantly working towards maximizing its resources and, therefore, it is crucial to sustainably balance energy, materials, and opportunities for all the inhabitants, and for the station itself. Guided by an AI assistant, visitors playing on one of the three available gaming stations encounter challenges that use existing SAP technologies and solutions to reduce emissions, waste, and inequalities to zero and thereby make OSS Hope an even more sustainable vision.
Majed Al Mansoori, Deputy Executive Director at MOTF, said, our partnership with SAP reinforces the importance of the Museum’s role as a global testing platform for the latest technologies and innovations of the future, and a centre for international partnerships aimed at developing new solutions to the most pressing challenges facing humanity in the years and decades to come.
He added: “Museum of the Future aims to design innovative experiences and solutions that support the progression of societies in line with the vision that humanity is at the heart of future aspirations, and that pioneering technology plays an essential role in creating new opportunities that guarantee a better future for generations to come.”
Sergio Maccotta, Senior Vice President, SAP Middle East Africa South, said, “While SAP helps organisations of various capacities to run better, the OSS Hope Simulator provides us with the opportunity to directly engage with individuals of all ages to showcase how innovation can enable a more sustainable and brighter future. In addition, the installation sheds light on SAP’s solutions that support its sustainability goals, highlighting the synergy between humans and technology and reinforcing our belief that selecting optimal solutions for a sustainable future requires human compassion combined with data-driven insights. Ultimately, it acknowledges that technology can help address some of the most profound environmental, economic, and social challenges of our time”.
As part of the installation, the simulator includes a ‘Wall of Knowledge’ that explains how the various solutions and technologies used by SAP operate. Once players have chosen from the various courses of action presented in the simulated challenges, they can view SAP’s global use cases to find out about current applications of that specific solution. There are a total of eight solutions used in the SAP simulation including blockchain, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, hyper-automation, and digital twins.
Maccotta pointed out that with the simulator’s focus on zero emissions, zero waste and zero inequality, it was fitting that it was launched during the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, and the year in which COP28 will be held in Dubai. He added that the UAE government’s focus on sustainability has led to a ripple effect seen across all industries, according to a new survey released by SAP.
Sustainability Linked to Business Success
“A recent SAP-commissioned survey shows that the overwhelming majority of companies in the UAE are fully aligned on the importance of sustainability including the role it plays in the future success of their business,” Maccotta said. “Businesses are facing pressure from customers and partners to demonstrate sustainable practices, and the survey shows that it is being driven internally too, as the financial value of sustainability is increasingly recognised.”
According to Maccotta, the new YouGov survey commissioned by SAP indicated that 96% of UAE companies recognised the importance of sustainability as a business objective, with 52% describing it as vital to their success. Similarly, 94% of IT decision makers surveyed stated that their organisations’ financial performance and sustainability strategies would be connected in the coming 12 months, with 36% stating they would be intrinsically connected.
When IT decision-makers were asked about their companies’ specific sustainability goals in the next 18 months, the most cited goal was addressing sustainability in supply chains (65%), closely followed by reducing waste (62%), and reducing carbon emissions (53%).
Alongside sustainability, the survey showed that companies in the UAE are also overwhelmingly focused on digital transformation. A total of 89% of companies are planning to invest further in digital transformation cloud solutions and services in the coming 18 months. In addition, 95% of respondents stated that technology and innovation was important to the success of their sustainability strategy.
“The survey findings are encouraging as they show businesses are recognizing the vital role that technology plays in sustainability. At SAP, we are always focused on sustainability as we create solutions, whether it is designing business process applications or the OSS Hope Simulator from SAP unveiled today,” Maccotta said.
“The survey results also demonstrate broad support for SAP’s conviction that digital transformation is key to sustainability. Businesses in the UAE realize that cloud computing is far more efficient than on-premise solutions in terms of carbon emissions and energy consumption, while technology is also indispensable in tracking and managing sustainability efforts,” Maccotta concluded.
Renewables and clean energy projects added nearly 66 gigawatts to the global power grid in 2022, bringing the world closer to its environmental goals. But the pace of project deployment needs to move much faster to reach the 2050 net-zero target, according to the Energy Industries Council (EIC), the world’s leading energy trade association.
The EIC’s first global operational expenditure (OPEX) report, released this week, reveals that a total of 335 renewable and clean energy projects were commissioned in 2022. These included 128 onshore wind, 6 offshore wind, 159 solar, 10 energy from waste, 17 biomass, and 15 hydroelectricity projects.
Solar energy contributed the most to the global power grid compared to other forms of clean energy, adding 25.7 gigawatts.
The report, which covers a vast array of energy projects worldwide (excluding China and Russia), reveals that solar was followed closely by offshore and onshore wind projects, which produced 3.7 GW and 22 GW, respectively. The countries leading the way in clean power projects commissioned in the year were France, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the United States.
Fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy mix and remain the largest single contributor to the global power sector, with 65 power plant projects put into service in 2022, with a combined capacity of 46.6 GW. The sector, however, experienced a marked drop in new capacity compared to 2018 when it added well over 80 GW of electricity to the global grid.
Click here to read the report.
Camps International, a social enterprise that provides school expeditions for student volunteers worldwide including the UAE, is celebrating completing two decades of ethical journeys with impact.
Since establishing its first camp in Kenya in 2002 the organisation has developed more than 20 similar facilities across the globe, supporting the delivery of more than 450 community projects that have benefitted tens of thousands of people.
Camps has facilities in Kenya, Tanzania, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Borneo and Cambodia, among others, all of which are being used to support surrounding communities and protect ecosystems. The organisation has undertaken millions of project hours since its establishment, thanks to the efforts of more than 50,000 volunteers.
Camps International is committed to supporting the ambitions of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically those relating to education, gender equality and climate action (SDGs 4, 5 and 13). The social enterprise’s activities also contribute to a number of other SDGs, including those that target zero hunger, clean water and sanitation.
Commenting on the 20-year anniversary, Stuart Rees Jones, CEO and Founder of Camps International, said: “From the outset, we wanted to build a great social enterprise, making a significant difference to the world around us and developing a wider education for young people. We are the preferred partner for many schools across the region, offering ethical expeditions and service-led trips to youth. Our culturally diverse team are committed to delivering safe but challenging experiences to the thousands of students who travel with us every year. For over 20 years we have made a positive impact to the communities’ and environments where we work.”
The organisation began its journey in collaboration with three participating schools in East Africa. Two decades later, Camps has worked with more than 1,000 schools and over 50, 000 young people, creating and enhancing essential infrastructure and bringing real-world issues to the classroom through its educational programme, ‘Real World Studies’. The social enterprise’s focuses have also grown during this period, with contributions to food and water conservation, wildlife conservation, and housing and welfare within underdeveloped and vulnerable communities around the world.
Despite the global pandemic, which resulted in an estimated 845,000 hours of lost project work for Camps International and their community partners across 2020 and 2021, the organisation has had a strong comeback in 2022 and has succeeded in delivering 73 projects across eight global locations in 2022 alone. More than 3,000 trees were planted by Camps last year, bringing the organisation’s total number to more than one million. More than 85,000 acres of conservation land were protected by the organisation during the same period, taking Camps International’s lifetime impact above 250,000 acres.
Camps International’s education and community projects also made a significant impact during 2022. Last year, students and teachers on expeditions delivered enhancements to more than 20 classrooms. It has now supported the improvement of more than 100 schools since its establishment, helping to create new libraries and sports facilities while improving the educational environments of thousands of children around the world.
“In 2022, Camps International groups supported community and environmental projects for the first time in two years since the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Jones. “Those groups did great work and, in some cases, rescued projects that had been inactive since before the pandemic.
“One of my personal highlights was the reopening of the English teaching programme for children in Beng Mealea and Beng Pae, Cambodia – an initiative we launched in 2018 after learning that local schools were too small to accommodate this type of provision,” he added. “Classrooms were built on-site at our camp, where two full-time teachers are now employed. Approximately 200 pupils attended this programme in 2022.”
Commenting on Camps International’s journey so far, Jones concluded: “It’s been an extraordinary 20 years and I look towards the next phase of our journey. We will continue to build camps to positively impact the lives of those in need and bring these real-world issues to the student travellers.”
Formula E today has published its Season 8 Sustainability Report, entitled Racing For Better Futures, which details the most impactful year to date of the first sport in the world founded with sustainability at its core.
The highlight of Season 8 was the launch of the GEN3 in Monaco, regarded by fans as the spiritual home of motorsport. It is the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built.
Jamie Reigle, Chief Executive Officer, Formula E, said: “As we publish our Season 8 Sustainability Report, interest in motorsport has never been higher. The global reach of the sport provides a powerful platform to engage hundreds of millions of fans across the world in taking positive action to combat climate change. At Formula E we take our leadership role seriously by driving the agenda and setting the benchmark for sustainable sport. We are delighted to see others across the sports spectrum follow our lead.
The new report highlights more key social projects over 2021/2022 including ongoing work through the charity partnership with UNICEF and its Safe and Healthy Environment Fund; the FIA Girls on Track activations; and legacy projects in race locations that directly benefit the communities where races take place.
Key initiatives and commitments that benefit the planet are also highlighted, with a continued commitment to maintaining the championship’s net zero carbon status from inception. Formula E was the first sport in the world to achieve such status and last season announced a 24% emissions reduction on Season 5’s baseline – well ahead of the science-based target of a 45% reduction by 2030.
Click here to read the report.
Studio One Hotel has announced that, after months of work, rigorous audit and application processes, they have successfully attained the Green Key certification.
Green Key is the leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry. Green Key stands for the commitment to guests that, by opting to stay with Studio One, they are helping to make a difference at an environmental and social sustainability level.
Joining the Green Key program was key to Studio One’s sustainability goals for 2023 and for the past few months the team have been working tirelessly to make sure they comply with all the requirements and secure this very important certification.
Natalia Gecziova, Head of Hotel Operations at Studio One said: “The Green Key certificate is an incredible achievement, and the team should be very proud of all the hard work. Sustainability is a personal passion of mine and I’m thrilled to have received the certification. We are not stopping here; over the coming year we will be looking at even more ways to make Studio One more Sustainable for future generations. COP28 is just around the corner and all eyes will be on Dubai. Studio One is setting the standard for other hotels across Dubai to join the sustainable movement and make a commitment to the green future of this great Emirate.“
Michelle Purnell, marketing & communications manager for Studio One added: “I am beyond thrilled for the team. We do countless activities for the community including; working with Team Angel Wolf on inclusive activities for children of determination, Birthday Bliss, Original Mix DJ’s, Swimming Wonders, STEM for kids; this list is endless. As well as this we are plastic free, we have LED lights fitted throughout, we recycle our food, paper, glass and we are committed to reducing water usage through our Green Side activities! The team really deserve this certification and I am very proud of all of them.”
The Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) unveiled the results of its survey, which measured the public’s awareness on sorting waste at the source in Abu Dhabi.
The survey was launched in partnership with the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD).
As per the survey’s results, 84.7% of the respondents are satisfied with Tadweer’s services, 85.7% affirmed Abu Dhabi’s significant role in promoting recycling and preserving the environment, and 84.9% are satisfied with Tadweer’s periodic collection services in their areas of residence in the Emirate.
The results also show that 72.6% of households know that domestic waste that is sorted at the source can be recycled and used in various fields, 83.5% of households are committed to disposing of waste in their designated containers on a daily basis, and 83.5% expressed their satisfaction with the quality of the Emirate’s infrastructure.
The survey targeted individuals and families, citizens, and expatriates in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and all its regions. It aimed to obtain an understanding of the public’s knowledge of the proper ways to dispose of waste, the environmental impact of the combination of household and hazardous waste, and the reasons that prevent people from sorting waste at their homes. The survey also measured the overall satisfaction with the level of environmental awareness in the Emirate, and the services provided by Tadweer.
Eng. Ali Al Dhaheri, Chief Executive Officer of Tadweer, said: “The survey comes as part of our efforts to measure the level of public awareness on the importance of waste management and satisfaction with our services. This supports us to enhance our services further and provide community members of all ages and nationalities with an opportunity to play a pivotal role in reducing waste by adopting effective methods of sorting waste at home.”
“We are pleased with the survey’s high response rate and the achieved results, which will support us to develop a comprehensive plan to raise awareness of the importance of sorting waste at the source. The survey will enable the Company to explore more awareness opportunities and campaigns, and further develop future waste management strategies and initiatives, which would benefit all members of society,” Al Dhaheri added.
His Excellency Ahmed Mahmoud Fikri, Director General of SCAD, said: “SCAD ensures adhering to the latest international standards to provide high-quality statistics that decision-makers can use to develop services and effective policies that support the sustainable development of the Emirate. The Center is responsible for developing an integrated statistical system according to statistical methodologies and scientific foundations. These methodologies and foundations provide the required support to the authorities, to offer advanced services that raise the standards of living and meet the aspirations of our wise leadership.”
The Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) is constantly working on providing value-added services to its customers and the society, in line with the best standards and practices. Tadweer puts a major focus on developing effective partnerships, making investments, and building capabilities to drive a sustainable future by preserving natural resources and creating an aware society who contributes to reducing waste production and turning it into an economic asset in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.