Sustainability

    UAE can count on French support for Cop28 success, France’s Economy Minister says

    The UAE can count on support from the French government and its corporate sector to make Cop28 a huge success, not only for the UAE but also for the whole region and the planet, French Finance and Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said. “I want to make very clear to my Emirati friends, you can count on the […]

    How Abu Dhabi prevented the use of 120 million single-use plastic bags in 8 months

    Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi prevented the use of more than 120 million single-use plastic bags over the last eight months, and collected more than 50 million disposable water bottles for recycling in 2022. These strides in curbing the use of single-use products will be ramped up over the course of the year, with authorities aiming […]

    Head of UAE’s weather bureau in the running for top global post

    The chief of the UAE’s weather bureau is in the running for a prestigious global position. Abdulla Al Mandous, director general of the National Centre of Meteorology, has been put forward by the UAE for the 2023 to 2027 presidency of the World Meteorological Organisation, it was announced on Wednesday. Mr Al Mandous has had a distinguished […]

    With all its climate problems, South Asia will be a battleground for Cop28’s success
    01 Feb 2023

    Cop27 was held last November in Egypt, but already intense preparations are being drawn up around the world by governments, activists and corporations for this year’s Cop28 in the UAE. South Asia, as a whole, has become an increasingly significant region at Cop, but it is also increasingly fragmented when it comes to policy at the global […]

    UAE doubles number of cloud-seeding flights in six years in bid to boost rainfall
    25 Jan 2023

    The UAE is stepping up its mission to make it rain after nearly doubling its annual number of cloud-seeding flights in the past six years. While large parts of the country are braced for heavy downpours on Wednesday and Thursday, efforts to induce more rainfall in a largely arid climate remain crucial. Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of Climate Change […]

    Feeling world-weary? Here are five reasons to be optimistic about the future

    As climate change wreaks havoc, plastic pollution blights oceans and biodiversity losses pile up, it is all too easy to fear for the future. But amid the gloomy forecasts there is hope on the horizon as society bands together to successfully tackle issues that once plagued the planet. From acid rain to precipitous declines in whale populations, progress has […]

    Adnoc to pilot project that converts carbon dioxide into rocks

    Adnoc will undertake a pilot project with British-Omani sustainability company 44.01 to permanently convert carbon dioxide from the air into a mineral within rock formations in Fujairah. The project, which is also being carried out in partnership with the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation and Masdar, will involve the use of technology that permanently mineralises carbon dioxide within […]

    Drones scatter one million mangrove seeds in Abu Dhabi
    16 Jan 2023

    Drones have dispersed one million mangrove seeds in Abu Dhabi, the Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD) said. The seed-firing drones took to the skies as a part of the first phase of a drone mangrove plantation project that supports the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative. The dispersal was carried out recently over several days at different locations around […]

    What does the UAE’s ban on single-use plastics mean for the environment?

    The UAE’s decision to impose further restrictions on single-use plastics comes amid growing global concern about their impact on the environment. From the 14 million tonnes of plastic that ends up in the world’s oceans each year to the vast amounts dumped in landfill — potentially breaking down into tiny particles that contaminate soil and waterways — the problem […]

    UAE to ban single-use plastic from 2024

    The UAE will impose a nationwide ban on single-use plastic from next year, the government has said. From January 1, 2024, plastic bags of any material or composition will be prohibited. From January 1, 2026, it will be prohibited to import plastic cutlery, drinks cups, styrofoam and boxes. The ban will include everything from “food […]