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Dubai : meeting the need for a sustainable future
DUBAI ’ S STRONG FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY IS COVERING EVERYTHING FROM MAJOR PROJECTS AND AMBITIOUS RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS , TO HOSTING GLOBAL LEADERS FOR COP28 . MEETING PROFESSIONALS ARE ALSO BEING EMPOWERED TO PLAN SUSTAINABLE EVENTS IN THE CITY
W hen global leaders , experts and decision-makers gathered in Dubai for the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties – also known as COP28 – key themes around sustainability and a greener future weren ’ t just on the agenda , they were evident to all the thousands of participants .
The venue for COP28 – Expo City Dubai – is intertwined with the city ’ s laser focus on sustainability and acts as tangible proof of what can be achieved . Built to host Expo 2020 Dubai , which it successfully did between October 2021 and April 2022 by welcoming over 24 million visitors , sustainability was woven into its DNA .
Sustainability was one of the three sub-themes of Expo 2020 , and the pavilion built to represent and showcase the theme ( Terra ) remains as part of its legacy – continuing to educate new generations and bring awareness to key challenges for the planet .
Legacy was critical all along in the planning , with 80 % of the infrastructure created for Expo 2020 remaining as part of what is now Expo City Dubai . A total of 121 of these permanent buildings have LEED certification from the US Green Building Council .
Clean Energy Commitment Another key sustainability achievement of Expo 2020 Dubai was sourcing all of its energy requirements from clean sources , with 100 % of power for the event being delivered directly from Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park ( pictured below ).
As the largest single-site solar park in the world based on the Independent Power Producer ( IPP ) model , it has a planned production capacity of 5,000 MW by 2030 , with investments totalling $ 13.6bn .
The solar park is part of ambitious plans in Dubai to ensure 100 % of its energy production capacity comes from clean sources by 2050 , under the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050 .
Other projects feeding into the strategies include a hydroelectric power station that is being built in Dubai ’ s mountain exclave Hatta , as well as Dubai Waste Management Centre ( DWMC ), the largest waste-to-energy project in the world .
34 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 128