Dubai

Dubai Municipality has been awarded the Golden category for Environment Management Industry at the Global Environment Award.

The award, organised by the Global Energy & Environment Foundation (GEEF), honours individuals, teams, projects, and organisations for their contributions to environmental sustainability and the preservation of natural resources.

At the awards ceremony, the Municipality received recognition for its ‘Sustainability Projects System’ initiative, which showcased its accomplishments and sustainable projects.

It was shared that the initiative encourages environmental sustainability practices, enhances natural resource management, introduces innovative strategies to reduce the effects of climate change and aims to raise awareness of emerging environmental challenges.

Dubai Municipality shared it has established a “comprehensive system of sustainability projects.”

This includes the Al Warsan Waste-to-Energy Plant project, the Biogas-to-energy project, and the trading of carbon credits on the Dubai Financial Market.

It has also attained ISO 14001 certification for its Integrated Environmental Management System and ISO 5000 certification for its integrated energy management system.

“The Municipality also played a key role in 10 global competitiveness indicators for smart cities,” it said.

Additionally, the Municipality has launched the ‘More Sustainable Dubai’ initiative alongside its role as a key partner in the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP 28).

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued directives to establish the Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority.

The new authority, launched in the second Year of Sustainability, will be tasked with further promoting sustainable practices, preserving biodiversity and expanding natural reserves and green spaces in the emirate.

Leading the newly launched entity is Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani, who has been appointed as Director-General.

It was shared that the authority’s initiatives – which include expanding Dubai’s green cover by 100 per cent and increasing the protected areas and natural zones by 60 per cent by 2040 – are aimed at creating a solid foundation for the green economy to flourish in the emirate.

Further, the authority will assist decision-makers in creating development policies, planning processes, and strategic performance metrics to ensure biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, and enhanced food security.

Indeed, according to the Dubai Media Office, climate change and ensuring food security will be among the authority’s “highest priorities.”

Likewise, the entity will promote green finance initiatives and incentivise the financial sector and banks to prioritise and support green projects in collaboration with key financial and economic organisations. In the same vein, and aligned with Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33 objectives, the establishment of the authority seeks to raise the contribution of the circular and green economy to the emirate’s GDP.

The authority’s focus will also support Dubai’s broader strategic environmental objectives, including a 100 per cent shift to clean energy by 2050 and a 90 per cent enhancement in air quality according to WHO guidelines by 2033.

This all sits against the backdrop of the emirate’s overarching goal to become one of the world’s top ten cities in leading environmental and resource sustainability indices by 2033.