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Abu Dhabi, Dubai safest cities in Middle East, Africa in 2021

Abu Dhabi, Dubai safest cities in Middle East, Africa in 2021

The top regional ranking reinforces the emirate’s position as a safe and secure place to live, work and invest.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the safest cities in the Middle East and Africa in 2021, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Safest Cities Index 2021.

The UAE capital scored “very high” for health security and infrastructure security, Abu Dhabi Media Office tweeted, quoting EIU.

Reinforcing its position as a safe and secure place to live, work and invest, Abu Dhabi has topped the regional ranking in all four iterations of the Safe Cities Index since 2015.

In January, the UAE capital was ranked the world’s safest city for the fifth year in a row, with Sharjah and Dubai among the top 10, in a survey conducted by data crowd-sourcing website Numbeo.

Source: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/abu-dhabi-dubai-safest-cities-in-middle-east-africa-in-2021

Expo 2020 Dubai to lend planet a hand towards sustainability

Expo 2020 Dubai to lend planet a hand towards sustainability

The 182-day mega-event in Dubai aims to address environmental challenges, such as climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity conservation, through a collaborative and people-centred strategy.

Now, more than any time in recent memory, it is essential we give our undivided attention to the existential threats to humanity and nature, acting now to protect the planet for our communities and generations to come.

As the largest event ever held in the Arab world, bringing together more than 200 participants, including 191 nations, Expo 2020 – opening on October 1, 2021 in Dubai – aims to be a platform to help heal the planet, for people’s voices to be heard in policy circles, to generate new ideas, inspire new perspectives, and map a clear path forward for urgent action.

Aiming to be one of the most sustainable world expos in history, the 182-day mega-event will address key environmental challenges, such as climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity and conservation, through a collaborative, grassroots and people-centred strategy.

Dina Storey, the director of sustainability operations at Expo 2020 Dubai, said sustainability — which is one of the key subthemes of the Dubai Expo — is embedded across the entirety of our 4.38 square kilometres site, including the infrastructure, pavilion designs and event operations.

“To achieve these goals, and create a meaningful impact beyond the site and beyond our six-month run, we have undertaken a wide-ranging approach to sustainability, backing our grand ambitions with grand action and aligning with national and international drivers, such as the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan, UAE Vision 2050 and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” she said.

Expo 2020’s sustainability policy focuses on several areas. These include design and construction – including the use of sustainable materials and sustainability certification – all the way to event operations, accessibility, inclusion and community volunteering.

The mega-event has also established a number of key focus areas, including diverting from landfill a minimum of 85% of all waste into different waste streams during construction, operation and decommissioning – supported by Dulsco, the official waste management partner of Expo 2020 Dubai. In terms of energy, Expo 2020 is also working to reduce the energy demand of its buildings by a minimum of 20% when compared to international standards, and exceeded this in 2019, with a 30% reduction.

The event is also using recycled water for all non-potable applications, reducing water demand in its buildings by 40% in comparison to local standards, and collecting and using at least 95% of recovered condensate water from its buildings.

At least nine infrastructure projects across Expo 2020 have been rated ‘excellent’ under CEEQUAL, the highest rating given by internationally recognised sustainability assessment for civil engineering.

More than 120 permanent buildings across the site are also designed to meet a minimum of LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council, with numerous buildings, including the UAE Pavilion and Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion — set to achieve LEED Platinum status, the highest accreditation for sustainable architecture globally.

Terra is one of Expo 2020’s signature experiences, one of three thematic pavilions, that will take millions of visitors on an immersive, reflective and emotive journey through the wonders of the natural world – inspiring them to help build a better, more sustainable future.

Energy is generated through the photovoltaic panels, at least 4,912 of which are arranged on a 130-metre-wide roof canopy and atop a series of 18 ‘energy trees’ in the landscape, placed around the building to provide shade in external spaces and tracking the sun’s path to generate as much power as possible.

John Bull, the director of the Terra said the building’s emotive visitor experience tells the enchanting story of humankind’s relationship with the rest of nature, while addressing negative environmental impacts, caused in large part by human behaviour, helping visitors to understand their impact on the environment, break the cycle of consumerism and become agents of change. “We want every visitor to feel motivated, energised and passionate after they experience everything that Terra has to offer, so they leave the pavilion inspired and committed to make a difference,” he said.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/business

Watch: Expo 2020 Dubai site decorated with 2m sqm landscaping projects worth Dh205m

Watch: Expo 2020 Dubai site decorated with 2m sqm landscaping projects worth Dh205m

Dubai Municipality says 4m seedlings, 20,000 trees used for green belt for Expo site

Dubai: The Expo 2020 Dubai site and the roads leading to it have turned into a green oasis with Dubai Municipality completing landscaping projects covering over 2 million square metres of area.

The civic body on Thursday announced the completion of the landscaping projects at a cost of Dh205m. The projects cover an area of over two million square metres and include the extension of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, the Expo Street and Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Street in the direction of the Expo 2020 Dubai site.

More than 20,000 trees were used to form a green belt along the roadsides of the area, and over four million seedlings were planted around the roads leading to the venue. Approximately two million seedlings were also planted at the site of the mega event.

Vertical farming

Dawoud Al Hajri, director general of Dubai Municipality, said: “Dubai Municipality uses cutting-edge technologies and the vertical farming method to implement its landscaping projects across the city. Our plan is to expand our greenery drive to cover all the areas in Dubai including open spaces, roads and public parks. By expanding the green areas, we will be able to achieve the sustainability of the horticultural sector, improve air quality and boost the community’s mental and physical health.”

Al Hajri highlighted Dubai Municipality’s efforts to enhance the aesthetic appearance and beauty of the area leading to the Expo 2020 Dubai site, through implementing best practices in a way that lives up to the status of the mega international event.

As part of the project, Dubai Municipality extended 58km of the main irrigation lines and 234km of the sub-lines. Three main pumping stations and three concrete tanks were also established to store irrigation water. Planting around the exhibition site was carried out at a length of about 21km, Al Hajri noted.

Dubai Parks Entrance

The landscaping project by Dubai Municipality also covered key landmarks near the Expo 2020 Dubai site, including the entrance to Dubai Parks, at a total area of 177,123 square meters.

Steel landscaping works extended over an area of around 109,000 square meters. Additionally, the main irrigation lines were extended by 10.3km and sub-lines by 60.1km.

A pumping station with a concrete tank for irrigation water was also constructed at a value of around Dh40 million.

The landscaping work included planting 24,474 trees, 65,000 shrubs, 1,541,710 square meters of soil covers, and 50,107 square meters of cactus plants, another 2,707,912 square meters of soil covers, 5,049 meters of fences, 76,671 square meters of green spaces, around 847,000 square meters of gravel, and 3,118 square meters of climbers.nat expo green1-1630578708886The Dubai Municipality on Thursday announced the completion of the landscaping projects at the Expo 2020 Dubai site at a cost of Dh205m.

Source: https://gulfnews.com/uae/watch-expo-2020-dubai-site-decorated-with-2m-sqm-landscaping-projects-worth-dh205m-1.81977255