Labworx

With 2023 serving as the Year of Sustainability, and with Dubai acting as hosting for this year’s COP28 in November and December, it’s only logical that the UAE is pulling out all the stops to promote the concept through a number of initiatives and incentives.

Additionally, the Emirati government has also launched a nationwide campaign geared towards raising public awareness of the issue and the projects in place to tackle it, with an overarching aim of encouraging community involvement and instilling a sense of personal responsibility in the populace.

Here are a handful of the different initiatives being undertaken by the UAE authorities across the course of 2023 and beyond:

Green architecture

In a country which suffers from sweltering temperatures on an almost year-round basis, architectural innovation is of paramount importance. The UAE is home to some of the most advanced environmentally friendly buildings in the world, such as the Sheikh Zayed Centre for Desert Sciences. The edifice uses 80% recycled materials in its construction which are specifically designed to reflect away the worst of the desert heat. Meanwhile, more than 50% of the Centre’s energy demands are served by the solar panels atop its roof, ensuring a sustainable energy profile.

Sea heroes

The UAE counts a total of 16 protected marine areas across its 1,318km coastline. What’s more, it has also undertaken a number of initiatives geared towards protecting the entirety of its waters, both now and in the future. A perfect example of this is Jaywun, a research vessel measuring 50m in length which constantly patrols the coastline and collects data. As such, it’s able to provide a reliable source of information which can offer better insights into how to preserve water quality and maintain biodiversity now and in the future.

Made sustainable

The Emirati business community is placing an increasing emphasis on using sustainable materials and deploying eco-friendly methods of production. That progress is evidenced by the fact that the Masdar City Free Zone – one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments – saw the number of businesses operating in it surpass 900 in 2020, a 26% increase on the year prior. Meanwhile, the country’s first plant-based meat production facility also opened its doors earlier this year.

The Reserve

The UAE’s climate is a delicate one, which is why the country now boasts a total of 49 nature reserves. Wetlands which have been classified as of international importance increased fivefold from 2010 to 2019, leaping up to 10 from just two. There are a further six protected marine areas and 13 terrestrial reserves under the umbrella of the programme and the UAE is currently undertaking a concerted campaign to raise public awareness – both among the domestic population and tourists visiting the UAE – about its reserves.

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