Source: The National Vesela Todorova   Abu Dhabi, which has the highest water consumption rate in the world, is planning to slash consumption and focus on conservation. Residents used an average of 550 litres of water a day compared with 85 litres in Jordan, a country with a similar climate, said Dr Mohammed Dawoud, manager of the water resources department at the Environment Agency – Abu... [read more]

This is a nice video illustrating the technology and vision to be used in Masdar City, the first zero carbon and zero waste city in the world to be built in Abu Dhabi   In addition, this is an insightful analysis of the Masdar city from a technological point of view http://www.dinarstandard.com/innovation/Masdar040608.htm      [read more]

This is a comprehensive article that was published in Time magazine describing the current wave of renewable energy innovations coming out of the UAE. Again the focus here is Masdar city but with more investigative reporting than public relations   By: Bryan Walsh   If you want to see the future of sustainable design, drive southwest from Abu Dhabi's international airport, stop when you... [read more]

This is a very well written analytical article about the efforts conducted by Gulf states in developing cutting edge research and innovation practices. The article is originally published by Science Devnet   By: Waleed Al-Shobakky Farouk El-Baz routinely shifts between two views of the Gulf countries. One day the Egyptian-American geologist will be in his Boston office poring over detailed... [read more]

Source: Financial Times   By Simeon Kerr in Dubai Published: February 10 2008   Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy initiative, Masdar, has laid the cornerstone of its carbon-neutral, waste-free city, saying it will invest $22bn in the hope that the project becomes a blueprint for sustainable development around the world.     Oil-rich Abu Dhabi said it was committing $15bn (€10... [read more]

The UAE is planning to introduce the first package of environmental protection codes in construction in the Arab World. The booming construction industry in the UAE will be environmentally regulated as of 2008. This is a news item from Gulf News   By Ahmed Elewa and Marten Youssef, Staff Reporters Published November 25, 2007   Dubai: The UAE is actively seeking to upgrade its environmental... [read more]

There is a continuous flow of praise for the new ecological standards used by the UAE construction boom. Such innovations bring hope of upscaling and replication in other Arab countries. This is a good feature from Ethical Corporation Magazine   By: Amelia Shepherd-Smith   Two years after it signed the Kyoto Protocol, the United Arab Emirates is developing its own green building ratings... [read more]

It is not news anymore that the first global zero carbon and zero waste city will be established in Dubai, but I liked this article by gizmag blog as it includes a lot of technical details and some smashing prototypes. Enjoy the reading, and the photos   The sleek, modern capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, will be host to what is planned as the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste... [read more]

The thrust for sustainable and green urbanization in the Gulf is gaining more momentum. After a carefully designed visit of Japanese world's top sustainable achitect design giants Nikken Sekkei to the Gulf, reports of a package of projects worth US $ 1.25 billion have been recently unveiled. This is the story published in Al Bawaba website   Contracts with a combined total of US$1.25 billion... [read more]

Fellow Tunisian blogger Subzero blue has published the story of another invention from the UAE. This time it is a floating solar island, conceptualised by the Swiss Firm CSEM and to be built with UAE money. For once I do not see this as a useful and strategic environmental innovation. Building Islands is a strange trend in the Gulf countries, and it causes a drastic impact on the marine environment... [read more]

Another smart idea for an environmental campaign from the UAE. Public figures are putting efforts together to encourage youth to get involved in a campaign for the collection and recycling of used mobile phones. With the exponential increase of mobile phone use and penetartion in the Arab world and the short life span of a mobile this idea can well be replicated in many other countries. This is new... [read more]

Source: Arabian Business   by Safura Rahimi   The UAE has unveiled a three-year environmental plan focused on the rational use of the country’s natural resources, the Ministry of Water and Environment announced in a statement Tuesday. The new plan is aimed at reducing the use of groundwater and other natural reserves over the next three years in a bid to shift focus to alternative sources... [read more]

Source: Middle East Online   The booming emirate of Dubai is the most congested city in the Middle East, according to a survey released Saturday, on the eve of Dubai's launch of a controversial road toll. An average employee in Dubai spends around one hour and 45 minutes a day in commuting, according to the survey, conducted by GulfTalent.com, a regional online recruitment portal. For... [read more]

Source: AME Info   Half of the world's top 250 companies today have active Corporate Social Responsibility programmes that focus on the social impact of their business. Mammoth multinationals such as Nike and Coke, to regional leaders such as Al Safi Danone and Oryx (Al Maha Enterprises), are all recognising the importance of CSR. 'The beginnings of CSR in Europe and North America, were... [read more]

Source: Arabian Business 23 June 2007   By: Angela Giuffrida   Contractors in Abu Dhabi will face fines for using hazardous building materials in government projects under a new contract introduced by the Abu Dhabi government. This is the first time the emirate has included a clause governing building products in its construction contracts and will form part of the new Abu Dhabi Law... [read more]

This is a mouth watering article published in June issue of the Jordanian magazine "Jordan Business" describing new ecological architecture innovations in the United Arab Emirates By: Naseem Tarawnah Without a doubt, one of the most dominant issues that plagues the world today is that of energy, or rather the lack thereof. The search for alternative sources of energy has been ongoing in various circles... [read more]

Source: Arabian Business Friday 1-6-2007 By: Becca Wilson   Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) will use the FM Expo as a platform to inform people about its new rating system for green buildings. The system, which will be based on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system developed by the United States Green Building Council, is due to be rolled out... [read more]

Iwould like to think that this initiative is a genuine example of "corporate environmental responsibility" and not another public relations efforts. Only time and action will tell, and we will monitor the news.   Sama Dubai, the international real estate investment and development arm of Dubai Holding, has put environmental protection at the heart of its development efforts by becoming one of... [read more]

Another accomplishment by Dubai, this time in an environmental "glamour". Congrats.   Gulf News- 12/5/2007   Dubai has won the most 'Environmentally Safe City' award from the Kuwait-based Arab Towns Organisation which considered the city's track record in developing effective programmes to maintain general cleanliness of the city and control noise pollution and other pollutants. Abdullah... [read more]

Emirates News Agency 8 May 2007   The world's first attempt to create a zero-carbon, zero-waste city was officially launched Monday during Cityscape in Abu Dhabi. The new six square kilometer energy, science and technology community will open in late 2009. The development is a unique, integrated "Green Community" in the heart of Abu Dhabi, which uses the traditional planning principals of... [read more]

AFP   The United Arab Emirates is still sitting on huge reserves of oil and natural gas, but now the Gulf federation plans to harness yet another of its abundant natural resources - the year-round sunshine. In the vast desert surrounding the capital, Abu Dhabi, the authorities are planning to spread arrays of solar panels to transform the blazing sun into energy. The plan may be expensive, but... [read more]

Dr Mohammad Al Assoumi, Special to Gulf News    Scientific developments in the field of solar energy emerged more than twenty years ago, leading to many questions about the future of the oil era and the emergence of a solar energy era. Views concerning oil exporting countries benefiting from the new solar energy and its relation to hydrocarbon energy varied. The answer came from Abu Dhabi,... [read more]

Source: Jordan Business   By: James Bennet   The UAE should introduce a population-wide green tax to combat its dramatically rising waste mountain, the head of the region's first recycling park has exclusively revealed to Arabian Business. Musaed Al-Saleh, vice chairman and CEO of the National Projects Holding Company (NPHC), told Arabian Business that in five years time Dubai would produce... [read more]

The excellence of producing the first State of the Environment report was claimed by Abu Dhabi last week. Although I have learned that both Lebanon and Egypt have produced former national reports, while Jordan produced a "civil society" perspective report, Abu Dhabi has made it clear that it is the leader by producing a highly informative report that can be traced and viewed from www.soa.ae  ... [read more]

Source: 7 days magazine   It might just be another Thursday for many people, but for the more environmentally inclined among us, today is to be celebrated as ‘World Water Day’. Water, the stuff of life, the stuff that we need for almost every aspect of survival is under threat and environmental experts have warned that fresh water is set to become even more precious as global warming begins to... [read more]

I am happy to report some good environmental news from the UAE here. Looking for more positive signs.   His Royal Highness Prince Charles paid a glowing tribute to Abu Dhabi Organics, Abu Dhabi's only organic farm. Prince Charles, a keen advocate of organic farming, was speaking at the company's stand at Al Khubairat School in Abu Dhabi.   Abu Dhabi Organics will go into full production... [read more]

The Associated Press   DUBAI, United Arab Emirates— When it comes to squandering the earth's natural resources, residents of this desert land of chilled swimming pools, monster 4x4s and air-conditioned malls are on a par with even the ravenous consumption of Americans, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The average person in the Emirates puts more demand on the global ecosystem than any... [read more]

Source: Asia Journal   Filipinos with access to the Internet are among the people most aware of global warming, according to a survey by a multinational consumer research group. The AC Nielsen "Online Consumer Opinion Survey," conducted last November, covered 25,408 Internet users from 47 countries and territories in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The survey found... [read more]

From : Gulf News By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief   Al Ain: The beauty of one the highest spots of the country, Jebel Hafeet, and the long winding road up to the top, are being spoiled by waste left behind by tourists. Some of the places are also fast becoming landfills. Most of these places are inaccessible ridges and cannot be cleaned on regular basis. Strong winds carry around the lighter... [read more]

An international conference on Waste Management & Minimization Congress" will take place in Abu Dhabi, UAE on the 28th & 29th May, 2007. The conference will be attended by over 300 senior personnel from Ministries & Municipalities& major industries and large organization from all across Middle East region& Europe and Africa, 40 speakers from top and senior level management, award... [read more]