Dubai
When you think of sustainability, Dubai is not the first place you’d think of. And that is exactly what Dubai´s government wants to change. Their sustainability strategy aims to increase the contribution of clean energy to 50% and reduce its carbon footprint by 70% by 2050, setting an example to others. This wasn't always the case. Dubai has a long history as a fishing village and later on as a trading center. Its fate took a turn with the discovery of oil in 1966. When Britain left the Persian Gulf in 1971, Dubai, Abu-Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain formed the United Arab Emirates. The founding father of the UAE was Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The current President and Prime-Minister of the UAE took office in 2004 and is Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. With all the oil money poring in, Dubai grew fast. Very fast.
Realizing that the oil reserves wouldn’t provide income for eternity, the government of Dubai decided to transform Dubai into a financial center and tourism destination. Then the crisis happened in 2008/2009 and tourism, oil prices and real estate prices plummeted. “The economic crisis was the best thing that happened to us—a blessing in disguise,” says Habiba al Marashi, founder of the Emirates Environmental Group, an organization that promotes environmental responsibility through education and recycling. Three things happened that prepared Dubai for a new focus on sustainability, according to energy consultant Robin Mills. The first was Masdar City, a project launched in neighboring Abu Dhabi in 2006. It was the world’s first zero-carbon city and designed by British architect Norman Foster´s firm. It was planned to be car freeand to produce all its electricity with solar power. The second was the soaring prices of oil and gas just before the crisis. It was of great concern to Dubai how they were going to source the energy to power all these enormous real estate developments. And the third event was the boom in solar power in Germany and Spain and falling prices of this renewable source of energy.
Dubai´s government understood that sustainability has to be part of their development plans and developed various green initiatives. Karim El-Jisr, chief sustainability officer-social of Dubai Sustainable City explains: “We believe that the UAE is better positioned than any other country in the world for the private sector to take the lead in sustainable development. We can show them how it is done because there is a very big spirit of entrepreneurship in the country.” According to him, there are four key sustainability issues in the UAE:
High energy required for cooling: The weather in the UAE is very challenging — long periods of extreme heat means that 70 per cent of our electricity consumption is destined for cooling.
High energy required for desalination: The UAE also has limited water resources. It relies on desalination to generate electricity to power the city, and to produce water for survival and recreation. But desalination is energy intensive.
High fuel consumption: In the UAE residents prefer to drive long distances to reach their destinations. Families usually have more than one vehicle. This too increases our fuel consumption and energy footprint.
High import of food: Dubai and the wider UAE import up to 90 per cent of its food, with significant wastage along the way. Indoor vertical and precision farming can help increase food security while minimising water resource use, and pesticides.
One thing that is working in UAE´s advantage is that it has unlimited renewable energy resources. As solar uptake increases (thanks to the Mohammad Bin Rashid Solar Park), Dubai’s energy mix shifts away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy (zero emission). With this in mind, Dubai aims to become the city with the lowest carbon footprint by 2050.
One of the initiatives implemented is Dubai Sustainable Tourism, which was developed by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). DST has been established to enhance the sustainability of the tourism sector and for contributing to the broader clean energy and sustainable development targets that Dubai has set out to achieve.
Sustainable tourism, and the DST, is based on three pillars:
Environmental Pillar. Our planet must be protected and conserved for future generations. This pillar supports initiatives like: renewable energy, reducing fossil fuel consumption and emissions, sustainable agriculture and fishing, organic farming, tree planting and reducing deforestation, recycling, and improved waste management.
Economic Pillar. The world's population is increasing and people are aspiring to have high consumption lifestyles and consuming more than their fair share. We need a sustainable economic model that ensures fair distribution and efficient allocation of our resources. This pillar supports initiatives like responsible supply chain practices, inclusive development and fair trade.
Social Pillar. We have an ethical responsibility to do something about human inequality, social injustice, and poverty. This pillar supports initiatives like diversity, empowerment and poverty reduction that promote social equity.
DST focuses on four areas: Energy Conservation, Water Conservation, Waste Management and Sustainability Engagement. Around these four themes a 12-step program was developed with initiatives such as implementation of energy efficient lighting, installation of efficient water systems, improvement of on-site waste management and education of staff on green practices.
Furthermore, DST has developed the Carbon Calculator software in partnership with Dubai Carbon. The software is part of the Tourism Dirham (TD) platform, hence, all hotels will have access to it and will be required to fill up a form and submit the data on a monthly basis. The calculator will be very beneficial for hotels as it will help us establish the baseline and benchmark among all hotels in Dubai and identify cost savings opportunities.
DST aims to reach its goals through the implementation of standards, education and training and awards. Furthermore, the council has developed the Carbon Calculator software in partnership with Dubai Carbon. The software is part of the Tourism Dirham (TD) platform so all hotels will have access to it and will be required to fill up a form and submit the data on a monthly basis. The calculator is very beneficial for hotels as it will help us establish the baseline and benchmark among all hotels in Dubai and identify cost savings opportunities.
Its holistic approach builds on common goal to achieve the long-term objective of a sustainable economy. The initiative’s structured approach to achieving sustainability identifies four clear targets – energy efficiency; environmental protection; awareness and education; and sectoral engagement. These fall within the overall context of environmental protection, social development and economic enablers, which will enable tourism in Dubai contribute to the overall journey of mitigating climate change and promoting sustainability by using four working streams or delivery platforms.
Sustainability is a key priority for the government of the UAE and its sustainable development strategy was initiated by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minster and Ruler of Dubai, and is called ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development´. Through this initiative, the UAE aims to become one of the world leaders as well as a center for the export of green products and technologies. The initiative consists of six fields: Green Energy, Investment incentives, Green City, Climate Change Effects, and Green Lifestyle, which form a vehicle that enables the country to realize its objective.
Another example of sustainable development in Dubai is the creation of The Sustainable City. It is the first operational net zero city in Dubai and its strategy is based on a three-tier approach: social, environmental and economic. Social sustainability is achieved through an abundance of amenities and community outreach programs. Environmental sustainability is maintained through passive and active design strategies, as well as strategic partnerships with an individual focus on each element of sustainability. Economic sustainability is facilitated by taking advantage of operational efficiencies and passing on the savings to our residents, in addition to various offerings designed to give back to the community. Some features of The Sustainable City are domes where fruit and vegetables are grown, a solar car park and The Fairgreen International School. For more info, check the website here.
Also interesting to mention is Al Barari. the lowest density development in the UAE. Here each home supports its own energy-efficiency home system and residents are encouraged to recycle through the underground waste system that separates organic from inorganic waste. The community counts with numerous homes with solar panels, and you can see electrical vehicles or scooters and a more active lifestyle on the walking tracks. All the water in Al Barari that is used for the irrigation of the landscape and waterways is recycled water that is then cleaned and polished in the on-site polishing plant. The irrigation system is controlled by a central computerized system which constantly communicates with irrigation controllers and weather stations installed in the field. This ensures application of precise quantity of water with no wastage. The waterways have aquatic plants that have helped nearly extinct native species of fish thrive here which in turn clean the water and control the population of mosquitoes and water insects.
If you are visiting Dubai and you are looking for more eco-friendly activities, go for outdoor activities, such as traditional desert safaris (be careful not to go on a dune bashing trip!), hiking and camping in the Hajar Mountains, scuba and snorkeling outings on the UAE's Eastern coast, and bird-watching adventures. Dubai government is aware that ecotourism helps drive conservation efforts, protecting wildlife for future generations. A great tour operator that offers sustainable trips is Platinum Heritage. If you book a desert trip with them, part of your ticket will go to conservation efforts in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. The reserve covers nearly five per cent of Dubai's land and is home to over 6,000 indigenous trees, grasses and flora, as well as herds of oryx and other wildlife.
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Main picture by David Rodrigo
