11:33 pm - July 21, 2026The Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) has finalised a AED35 million project to extend natural gas services to residential districts in Dibba Al Hisn, marking a significant step in the emirate’s push for cleaner, more sustainable energy infrastructure. The Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority has wrapped up…
As Abu Dhabi marks Union Pledge Day, energy officials highlight the ongoing commitment to sustainable growth, technological innovation, and resilience, building on the UAE’s founding principles to meet future challenges. On Union Pledge Day, Abu Dhabi’s energy leaders framed the occasion as both a celebration of the UAE’s founding and…
Huawei’s new FusionSolar 9.0 platform aims to revolutionise utility-scale solar projects across the Middle East by integrating advanced grid-forming technology, digital management tools, and lifecycle performance enhancements to meet the region’s evolving energy demands. Huawei’s Digital Power division has rolled out its FusionSolar 9.0 Smart PV Solution in Dubai, leveraging…
The UAE has become the highest-ranked Arab nation in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index, reflecting significant investments and policy shifts towards sustainability, including waste management, biodiversity, and renewable energy expansion. The UAE has become the highest-ranked Arab nation in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index , and honestly, that really highlights…
Naseej advances its mission to create a sustainable textile sector in the UAE through 14 strategic collaborations spanning public and private sectors, aiming to develop a comprehensive circular economy model with pilot projects and policy support. Naseej’s drive to develop a circular textile economy in the UAE has now moved…
Positive Zero’s new loan facility marks the first of its kind in the Middle East, signalling increasing confidence in decentralised renewable projects across the GCC as part of the region’s energy transition. Positive Zero has successfully secured a $375 million loan facility, a move that will bolster decentralised energy infrastructure…
As UAE’s insurance industry adopts AI-driven ESG scores, companies face a new era of risk management where sustainability performance directly influences coverage and costs, aligning with national climate goals and transforming underwriting practices. For many years now, corporate insurance underwriting in the UAE has been built on tried-and-true pillars: balance…
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The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi has completed an extensive survey mapping 334 oyster beds across the emirate’s waters, integrating traditional knowledge with advanced scientific techniques to bolster ecological and climate resilience efforts. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi has recently wrapped up a multi-year project to map out oyster beds across the emirate’s marine waters , and, according to them, it’s now the most detailed scientific record of this habitat’s distribution to date. The survey was initially designed in 2022 and then carried out between 2023 and the end of 2025. It brought together old knowledge and modern field…
Energy companies in the UAE are being advised to act quickly and document their R&D activities meticulously to capitalise on the country’s new tax incentives, as delays could cost millions. The regime, launching in 2026, offers up to 50% tax credits for qualifying innovative projects in the hydrocarbons sector, contingent on staffing and proper approval processes. Energy companies operating in the UAE are being encouraged to act quickly if they want to capture some value from the country’s new research and development tax credit, as advisers warn that delaying could leave them with millions of dirhams unclaimed. The regime, which…
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is expanding its international ties and adopting cutting-edge, renewable-powered desalination methods as part of its long-term water resilience and climate goals, positioning the emirate as a global leader in sustainable water management. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is really stepping up its ties with the World Water Council as the emirate sharpens its long-term plans for water security, efficiency, and low-carbon desalination. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, DEWA’s managing director and CEO, recently met with Loïc Fauchon, the president of the World Water Council, right in Dubai. They discussed what both sides describe as…
BEEAH and Etihad Water and Electricity have signed a joint agreement to expand sewage treatment capacity in Sharjah, signalling a shift towards integrated and sustainable water resource management in the UAE. BEEAH and Etihad Water and Electricity have recently come to an agreement to collaborate on expanding sewage treatment capacity in Sharjah, a move that highlights how wastewater is increasingly becoming a more strategic part of the UAE’s water system. The two organisations, through EtihadWE’s development and investment division, signed a Joint Development Agreement. This covers not just the operation of existing treatment assets but also plans to expand the…
The UAE’s latest scientific initiative, RAINLAND, investigates whether altering land cover and terrain could influence rainfall, marking a shift towards understanding land-atmosphere interactions for water security in dry regions. The UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science has rolled out its sixth cycle project, called RAINLAND. This new initiative pushes beyond the usual focus on cloud microphysics and delves into how land itself might influence rainfall. Basically, it’s about exploring whether altering land cover and terrain could actually encourage rain under specific atmospheric conditions. The project, formally named “Rainfall Enhancement through Modification of Land Cover and Land Form,” was announced…
The UAE has unveiled the Global Youth Envoys for Water initiative, aiming to empower young leaders from vulnerable regions to influence global water governance ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi. The UAE has introduced a new initiative aimed at involving younger voices in global water diplomacy,…
ENOC’s partnership with EVS aims to expand quick and specialised maintenance services for electric vehicles across key regions in the UAE, signalling a significant step towards integrated electric mobility support. ENOC has partnered up with EVS to expand access to quick maintenance services for electric vehicles right here in the…
The Dubai Future Foundation’s fifth edition of its foresight report emphasises actionable strategies and global collaborations to capitalise on technological and systemic opportunities shaping the future of the UAE and beyond. The Dubai Future Foundation has recently published the fifth edition of its flagship foresight report, broadening its focus on…
Masdar has reached financial close on a landmark $6.1 billion solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi, aiming to deliver around-the-clock renewable power and reinforce the UAE’s shift towards sustainable energy. Masdar has officially reached financial close on a massive $6.1 billion solar and battery storage project in Abu…
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A Dubai-based biotech firm is turning date palm residues into biofertilisers, boosting crop yields and soil health for thousands of small farmers, as part of a broader push towards a circular economy and climate resilience in the region. Dubai’s efforts to turn agricultural waste into a climate-smart business seem to be gaining real momentum, with a biotech start-up now transforming date palm residues into biofertilisers , a move that’s boosted crop yields, improved soils, and brought thousands of small farmers into a more circular production cycle. The company, called B-Vita, has been recognised as part of Dubai Future Solutions –…
Scientists in the UAE are exploring the possibility of using large-scale solar photovoltaic installations not only to produce energy but also to influence local atmospheric conditions and trigger rainfall, offering a novel approach to water scarcity in desert regions. Water is increasingly taking centre stage in the climate and technology debates, and the UAE is testing out an idea , honestly, it sounds more like science fiction than straight-up infrastructure , that involves using massive solar parks to help generate rain. The bigger picture here is rather stark, actually. According to the World Resources Institute, domestic water demand has skyrocketed…
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UAE‑ and India‑based Travanleo has unveiled Carbon Xpress, a fast‑track module on its Ecodrisil ESG Xpress platform that uses an AI co‑pilot to generate standards‑aligned, export‑ready Scope 1–3 figures for time‑sensitive bids, supplier assessments and climate‑linked financing — but buyers must still verify emission‑factor sources and Scope 3 coverage. Travanleo, the UAE- and India‑based tech firm behind the Ecodrisil ESG Xpress platform, has rolled out Carbon Xpress—a lean, fast‑track tool for corporate GHG reporting. Citing the original Zawya notice, the product is designed to let organisations capture, compute and deliver audit‑ready carbon numbers quickly, aimed at firms responding to RFPs,…
Despite world‑class research hubs and a surge in headline investments, the Gulf’s push to become a global innovation leader is held back by concentrated late‑stage capital, uneven IP and regulatory regimes, shortages of prototyping facilities and scarce specialised talent — reforms to early‑stage finance, cross‑border regulation and shared infrastructure are needed to convert momentum into durable, research‑intensive scale‑ups. As Gulf states push to diversify their economies, the signs of an innovation breakthrough are clearly visible: high‑profile research hubs, fast‑rising ecosystem rankings, and a surge of blockbuster private investments. Yet turning momentum into durable global leadership will demand sharper, more targeted…
The National Centre of Meteorology has expanded a sophisticated programme combining salt‑based flares, ground generators and experimental nanomaterials — and flown more than 170 missions this year — aiming to lift rainfall by an estimated 10–25% amid mounting water pressures. Those sudden, heavy downpours that drenched parts of the UAE this year didn’t happen by accident. A recent What’s On feature notes that the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has been running one of the world’s more sophisticated cloud‑seeding programs, deliberately targeting suitable clouds to coax extra rainfall in a country where every drop matters. You see, the idea isn’t…
Greene Concepts says it is exploring exportable, containerised bulk‑refill stations and tanker shipments from a deep artesian source in North Carolina as a stopgap for drought‑hit Middle East and North Africa countries, but experts warn logistical, environmental and governance limits to long‑distance bulk water deliveries.Greene Concepts, a small U.S. bottled-water company, says it is exploring an exportable “refill station” model to deliver bulk, naturally filtered water to drought‑hit countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The idea, laid out in a company press release distributed via Access Newswire on 12 August 2025, frames the plan as both humanitarian…
As Saudi Arabia’s The Line struggles with ballooning costs, delays and scaled-back ambitions, Sharjah’s Khalid Bin Sultan City — a two-kilometre, walkable ‘oasis’ masterplanned by Zaha Hadid Architects and backed by BEEAH — is being presented as a lower-risk, climate-smart model. The proposal emphasises shaded public space, passive cooling and net-zero-ready infrastructure, but offers no firm start date, budget or procurement plan, leaving delivery and financing questions unresolved. Saudi Arabia’s grand vision of The Line—a 170‑kilometre, 500‑metre‑high “ribbon city” slicing through the desert—has become a cautionary tale about scale and cost. As NEOM’s flagship scheme wrestles with rising bills, leadership…
Officials are moving from pilot to mass deployment of purpose‑built reef modules under the Mshad Dubai programme — a 20,000‑unit plan across about 600 sq km — after a 2021–23 trial reported roughly a 10% rise in local biodiversity and an eightfold increase in fish biomass. Authorities frame the scheme as both environmental restoration and an economic plank, but scientists stress that independent validation, long‑term monitoring and fisheries management are essential to ensure benefits are real and lasting. Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani, the director‑general of the Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority, says purpose‑built marine reefs have moved from ad…
Imdaad has signed a 12-month MoU with Dubai recycler Enviroserve to roll out smart e-waste bins, skips and recycling points across Imdaad-managed sites, with an initial focus on JAFZA. The partners project diversion of 80–100 tonnes of electronic waste and 150 tonnes of dry recyclables in year one (around 540 tCO2e in potential savings), but say real results will depend on tenant participation and independent verification. Imdaad has signed a 12-month memorandum of understanding with Enviroserve Services, a Dubai‑based recycling and resource‑recovery firm, to roll out a coordinated e‑waste and dry‑recyclables collection programme across Imdaad‑managed sites, with a particular emphasis…
The services and investment pact signed in August 2025 opens market access across finance, advanced technology, energy, infrastructure and healthcare, and is presented by Abu Dhabi as a strategic step in the UAE’s long-term push to diversify the economy and cement its role as a global commercial hub. Ministers hailed opportunities in renewables, low-carbon energy, fintech and advanced manufacturing but warned that delivery will depend on regulatory alignment, financing and the wider geopolitical and sanctions environment. Abu Dhabi’s government and its senior ministers framed the newly signed Agreement on Trade in Services and Investment with the Russian Federation as a…
Concerns about ‘weaponised’ weather have resurfaced as cloud‑seeding and other weather‑modification techniques spread and climate extremes grow. Scientists stress that small, local interventions can be technically feasible but unpredictable, while large‑scale geoengineering remains beyond most states — and the 1976 ENMOD treaty’s narrow ban on ‘widespread, long‑lasting or severe’ effects leaves enforcement and attribution gaps. Experts urge stronger verification, transparency and updated international governance to prevent disruption and transboundary harm. The notion of armies turning the sky into a theatre of war—weaponising rain, fog or frost to hinder enemies—has a long lineage. Yet as weather‑modifying technologies have spread and climate…
e& UAE has put the GCC’s first Dual-Band 64T64R MetaAAU from Huawei into service on a live network, combining 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz in a single radio to boost capacity, coverage and reduce site footprint. The operator says the unit halves equipment needs, lowers power consumption by about 35 per cent and lifts coverage and busy-area performance by roughly 30-60 per cent, though independent verification of the exact gains remains limited. Abu Dhabi operator e& UAE is calling a milestone in 5G evolution, saying it has put into service the GCC’s first Dual‑Band 64T64R MetaAAU radio on a live network. The…
