Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has begun a four-week Dubai autonomous transit trial at Bluewaters, testing driverless electric pods on a dedicated guideway that could shape future clean mobility links across the emirate. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on 11 October the start of a four-week trial of…
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority will host the emirate’s first Dubai electric vehicle exhibition and conference from 10 to 12 November, with more than 300 participants and 10,000 visitors expected at the trade centre. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on 4 October that it will organise the inaugural…
Holcim UAE and 44.01 have formally commissioned the UAE’s first industrial Fujairah carbon capture pilot, which stores cement plant CO2 in underground rock and gives heavy industry a working template for Net Zero 2050. Holcim UAE and carbon storage company 44.01 officially commissioned the UAE’s first live-condition carbon capture and…
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi has introduced mandatory emissions verification rules requiring high-emitting facilities to register, report and use accredited verifiers under a new digital tracking system. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has issued a resolution making emissions verification compulsory for facilities in the emirate’s highest-emitting sectors,…
UAE green sukuk issuance fell to zero in the first half of 2026, Moody’s said, down from 1.7 billion US dollars a year earlier, as GCC issuers pulled back and awaited a second-half recovery. UAE green sukuk issuance dropped to zero in the first half of 2026, according to a…
Emirates Water and Electricity Company projects Abu Dhabi carbon emissions falling by more than 45% by 2035, as solar capacity expands to over 35 gigawatts and battery storage reaches up to 15 gigawatts. Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) announced on 21 September a forecast cut in Abu Dhabi carbon…
Nasdaq-listed Beam Global has signed a memorandum of understanding with Masdar City Free Zone to bring off-grid EV charging and energy storage technology into the Masdar City ecosystem in Abu Dhabi. Beam Global (Nasdaq: BEEM) and its regional arm, Beam Middle East, have signed a memorandum of understanding with Masdar…
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Abu Dhabi solar capacity is set to expand by 3GW a year, the emirate’s energy chief says, as its clean energy share hits 47% and desalination shifts to reverse osmosis by 2035. Abu Dhabi’s Department of Energy has set out plans to add 3GW of solar capacity a year, backed by round-the-clock battery storage, as part of a decade-long shift that has already lifted the emirate’s clean energy share, including nuclear, from 1% to 47%. In a 17 September interview, department chairman Abdulla Humaid Al Jarwan said the emirate would keep expanding Abu Dhabi solar capacity while pushing almost all…
Emirates Biotech and United Arab Emirates University have opened a pilot plant near Al Ain that converts food waste to biogas and compost, testing whether packaging waste can be processed alongside it too. Emirates Biotech and United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) have launched a joint pilot project to convert food waste to biogas and compost at what they describe as the UAE’s first integrated organic-waste valorisation plant. Sited near UAEU’s Al Ain campus, the plant will process up to 40kg of organic waste a day. The partnership was launched at UAEU with value-chain stakeholders including the Emirates Environmental Group, Hotpack,…
Dubai Municipality launches new guide to speed green building retrofits across the emirate
Dubai Municipality has launched an Existing Buildings Greening Guide, giving owners, operators and investors a practical framework for green building retrofits that cut energy and water use and emissions. Dubai Municipality has launched an Existing Buildings Greening Guide across the emirate on 16 September, giving building owners, operators, consultants and investors a practical roadmap for green building retrofits that improve environmental and operational performance. The civic body said the guide supports its wider objectives for sustainable urban development and a better quality of life across Dubai. The guide sets out best practice for green building retrofits while balancing sustainability requirements…
The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative has signed a two-year partnership with the World Economic Forum to accelerate UAE water innovation and connect solutions with the financing and markets needed to scale them. The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative announced on 15 September that it has signed a partnership agreement with the World Economic Forum to speed the adoption and deployment of practical water solutions, extending the Abu Dhabi initiative’s reach into the global water innovation ecosystem. The agreement runs for two years, through September 2028, and centres on closing a persistent gap between promising water technologies and the financing,…
Khalifa University has launched a UNESCO Chair on Global Water Resilience, uniting research, policy and industry to strengthen UAE water security ahead of the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi this December. Khalifa University has established the UNESCO Chair on Global Water Resilience, Innovation and Sustainable Solutions, a UAE-anchored platform intended to connect scientific research with policy and industry on water treatment, desalination, wastewater reuse and governance. The university announced the Chair on 30 June, framing it as a direct contribution to UAE water security ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference, which the UAE co-hosts with Senegal in Abu…
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Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei told WAM the UAE has lifted its combined nuclear and renewables target to 35% by 2030-2031, saying new plants and private competition will deliver it.
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development wants to mobilise $2bn by 2030 through its Global Water Platform, half of it the Fund’s own money, to reach 10 million people with safe water. The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has named the Abu Dhabi Global Water Platform as the main…
Hub71’s renewed Initiate programme draws over 5,500 applications, highlighting growing demand for structured early-stage startup support in Abu Dhabi, with new ventures like Prism56 exemplifying regional innovation and AI adoption. Hub71 is expanding its Initiate programme after attracting over 5,500 applications from founders in the very early stages of building…
Researchers at United Arab Emirates University have created a sustainable catalyst using desert sand, biochar from date pits, and nickel, offering a local solution for clean-energy technologies and resource efficiency. Researchers over at United Arab Emirates University have come up with a pretty interesting green catalyst. It’s made from desert…
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Startups in Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 ecosystem have raised more than $2.7bn since 2019, with its ClimateTech vertical part of a specialist strategy as the emirate works to diversify its economy. Startups based at Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s government-backed technology ecosystem, have raised more than $2.7bn (AED 9.9bn) since the platform opened in 2019, according to figures published on 8 June in the hub’s 2025 Impact Report. The same companies generated $1.5bn (AED 5.4bn) in revenue over the period. The totals mark a milestone in the emirate’s drive to build a diversified, innovation-led economy. The figures point to a startup base with…
Marafiq is set to build a new industrial desalination plant in Duqm, underscoring the growing importance of integrated water services for Oman’s emerging low-carbon heavy industry sector and supporting Meranti Green Steel’s ambitious project aiming for mid-2029 completion. Marafiq is gearing up to build a new industrial desalination plant in Duqm, which really highlights just how crucial water infrastructure has become for the region’s emerging low-carbon heavy industry sector. The Centralised Utilities Company for the Special Economic Zone at Duqm will handle the financing and development of this facility, and it’s meant to serve Meranti Green Steel’s upcoming iron project,…
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Dubai Holding’s innovative accelerator aims to fast-track circular economy solutions in the UAE
Dubai Holding has launched the Innovate For Tomorrow Impact Accelerator, selecting 15 startups from around the world to develop practical, market-ready solutions for advancing the circular economy in the Gulf region, with a focus on scalability and real-world impact ahead of 2050 climate goals. We’re currently at a pretty critical juncture for moving toward circularity in the Gulf region. I mean, with the global community roughly halfway to hitting the 2050 net-zero target, the reliance on linear consumption models still poses a major hurdle when it comes to cutting emissions and reducing waste. According to Entrepreneur Middle East, Dubai Holding…
Gulf states accelerate green energy push amid bold decarbonisation and hydrogen ambitions
Gulf countries are rapidly ramping up investments in renewables, hydrogen, and carbon management to diversify income sources, cut emissions, and develop new green industries, marking a significant strategic shift in regional energy policies. Governments all across the Gulf are speeding up their investments in large-scale renewables, hydrogen, and carbon management efforts. This move seems to be about diversifying their national revenue sources, lowering emissions, and still keeping oil and gas production ongoing. You could say that policy changes and billion-dollar projects in places like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar signal a significant shift, a kind of strategic pivot. They’re…
UAE explores micro modular reactors as potential clean energy solution with Abu Dhabi-based firm
NANO Nuclear and EHC Investment LLC have signed an MoU to assess the viability of deploying micro modular reactors across the UAE and Gulf region, aiming to diversify the country’s clean energy portfolio amid growing energy demands. NANO Nuclear Energy and Abu Dhabi-based investment firm EHC Investment LLC have teamed up to explore whether micro modular reactors could become part of the UAE’s growing low-carbon energy mix. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) announced by both parties lays out plans for jointly assessing market opportunities, supply chain possibilities, and potential business models for deploying NANO’s KRONOS units across the UAE and…
Abu Dhabi's net-zero mosque sets new standard for sustainable religious architecture during Ramadan
A purpose-built mosque in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City exemplifies innovative passive-design strategies and solar technology, aiming for top sustainability certifications and highlighting the emirate’s commitment to green development amid Ramadan safety initiatives. When Ramadan kicked off, Abu Dhabi unveiled a purpose-built mosque in Masdar City that, according to organizers, shows how religious architecture can really align with the emirate’s goals for net-zero energy and passive-design thinking. This new building is being introduced as the emirate’s first Net-Zero Energy mosque and is part of a broader set of Ramadan-related initiatives, including increased consumer inspections and an expanded fire-safety campaign. Masdar City…
Emirates NBD integrates consumer carbon footprint tool into banking app to promote responsible spending
Emirates NBD launches an innovative carbon calculator within its mobile platform, enabling nearly two million customers to monitor and reduce their greenhouse‑gas emissions based on everyday transactions, as part of its broader ESG strategy to achieve net zero by 2050. Emirates NBD has integrated carbon measurement tools directly into its consumer banking app, which provides customers with an instant link between their daily spending habits and an estimate of greenhouse‑gas emissions. The ENBD X Carbon Calculator, which is built into the bank’s ENBD X mobile platform, looks at transaction data and then shows users a projected emissions figure, along with…
Al-Futtaim and Siemens partnership aims to accelerate digital and decarbonisation efforts in UAE real estate
Al-Futtaim Real Estate and Siemens team up to deploy advanced smart-building technologies, targeting operational efficiency and net-zero emissions across their property portfolio in the Middle East, with a focus on knowledge transfer and regional expansion. Al-Futtaim Real Estate has announced a pretty interesting strategic partnership with Siemens, which, according to both companies, will really help speed up digital upgrades and lower carbon footprints across the company’s property portfolio. Based on a media release from Burson and some notes on Al-Futtaim’s official website, this collaboration aims to combine Al-Futtaim’s development and contracting strengths with Siemens’ smart-building technologies, with the goal of…
Dubai's AED2.5 billion stormwater expansion aims to bolster resilience and sustainability
Dubai Municipality advances its AED30 billion Tasreef Programme with five new contracts worth AED2.5 billion, focusing on expanding and modernising the city’s stormwater systems to support future growth and climate resilience. Dubai Municipality has recently pushed forward with a significant expansion of the city’s stormwater infrastructure. They’ve awarded five new contracts under Phase Two of the Tasreef Programme, worth AED2.5 billion. This set of projects targets 30 key areas across the emirate, covering around 430 million square meters. The goal, as per Zawya and municipal reports, is to support an estimated three million residents by the year 2040. This latest…
PureHealth partners with Yellow Door Energy on a long-term solar power scheme to reduce emissions across its UAE hospitals and clinics, exemplifying the healthcare sector’s growing role in the nation’s clean energy transition. PureHealth has just signed a 25-year master lease deal with Yellow Door Energy to supply solar power to its hospitals and clinics all across the United Arab Emirates. The Abu Dhabi-based health group is really pushing forward with its decarbonization efforts, and this deal is a big part of that. Basically, the partnership aims to set up on-site solar arrays at various PureHealth locations, which are expected…
ESREE Energy secures funding to commercialise gravel-based thermal storage for industrial decarbonisation
Tokyo-based startup ESREE Energy has raised new funds to advance its innovative gravel-based thermal energy storage technology, aiming to provide affordable, dispatchable heat for industry as global focus on renewable heat solutions intensifies. ESREE Energy, a startup based in Tokyo focusing on climate tech, has recently secured a new funding round to speed up the development of its innovative gravel-based thermal energy storage and related industrial heat technologies. The company mentioned that this fresh investment, led by United and also joined by Digital Grid and ReGACY Innovation Group, will be used mainly for research and demonstration projects. The goal is…
Despite rapid growth in solar and wind projects, the Middle East’s energy shift risks falling short of net-zero targets, constrained by heavy reliance on fossil fuels and geopolitical factors, reveals Wood Mackenzie. The Middle East is in a bit of a race, trying to reshape its energy economy , but recent insights suggest that the region’s declared climate goals might be ahead of the policies and investments that will actually set their course. Achieving net zero emissions by 2060, for example, would require a huge transformation , Wood Mackenzie estimates roughly US$5.3 trillion in total investments. However, current trends seem…

