Three Sustainability Initiatives In The UAE You Should Know About

Whether you’re eco-savvy or not, there’s no denying that the impact of climate change on our planet is more real than ever.

Rising temperatures, temperamental sea levels, and melting ice caps threaten to leave humankind with uninhabitable earth.

D-day is getting closer and closer. Actually, in some parts of the world, it has already arrived and is causing mass destruction to the livelihood of many. Thankfully, we are (finally) answering this major wake-up call as we work towards getting around this earth-shaking problem.

Right at the forefront of it all, the Middle East is making strides thanks to the latest sustainability approaches in the UAE.

The country is backing sustainable strategies and has a vision of a ‘green’ national economy with the help of some serious dollars from its successful petroleum industry.

At the same time, to meet these objectives in the shortest time span possible — before the (hopefully) proverbial doomsday — accelerated policies and rapid infrastructure to foster green construction have gotten the show on the road.

Continuing in a more positive direction, let’s discover several of the sustainability initiatives in the UAE that are paving the way for the country to become a world-class model in sustainability.

The Nation Green Growth Strategy (NGGS)

‘A Green Economy for Sustainable Development’ is the familiar slogan for this long-term national initiative launched in January 2012.

NGGS serves as the main driving force of the initiative to accelerate the UAE’s shift towards a green economy and achieve the UAE Vision 2021 sustainability goals.

To get the wheels turning, absolute measures have been put in place to develop a foundational framework of capacity and expertise.

One successful example is in Abu Dhabi, where Masdar City provides hope that carbon-free sustainable living for residential, retail, recreational, and manufacturing facilities is indeed possible.

But that’s not all the growing green city has to offer! It also houses Promethean organizations and institutions like the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) — dedicated to championing sustainable solutions on a global scale.

Since 2011, GGGI has partnered and worked with multiple stakeholders to evaluate the country’s green growth necessities and capabilities, identify learning opportunities and solutions while guiding the formulation and official approval of the NGGS.

With so much action going on, we think you would agree that the future already looks a bit brighter!

Sustainable Packaging Initiatives In E-commerce

E-commerce is booming! But unfortunately, so is the massive unforgiving environmental footprint that it’s leaving behind.

With everyone shamelessly bragging about turning to online shopping as the remedy for being forced to stay indoors during the whole COVID-19 debacle, you can just imagine the amount of unnecessary plastic/single-use waste that’s ending up in our oceans and landfills — we shudder even at the thought of it!

There are no bona fide data as of now, but it’s estimated that the global eCommerce industry contributes to millions of tonnes of packaging waste every year.

Owing to the rising public awareness, eco-conscious consumers, and dire calls for environmental change, e-commerce companies in the UAE are adopting eco-friendly packaging solutions.

The Abu Dhabi government also launched a new policy in March 2020 to reduce the use of single-use plastics in hopes that the related industries will switch to more sustainable and recyclable packaging solutions, like corrugated cardboard.

Green Initiatives In Fashion

Eco-friendly clothing is trending in the UAE, and we’re all in!

Fashion brands and businesses in the UAE are prioritizing efforts to align themselves with the goals of the UAE vision 2021 for a more sustainable environment and infrastructure.

From introducing products made from recyclable raw materials to the aforementioned shift from plastic to reusable packaging, fashion is going green — but it still looks remarkably colorful!

What’s more, the region recently gave birth to the world’s first sustainable council, Middle East Fashion Council (MEFC), which encourages sustainable movements among designers and consumers.

Government youth initiatives have also driven environmentally conscious students like Mohammad Sani Ali and Ismail Dajani, both 16 years old, to launch their very own eCommerce sustainable clothing line for men, Iris.

Inspired by Boro textiles in Japanese fashion, the two teens collect fabric leftovers from factories across the region to upcycle and create unique shirts and masks. Buttons are made of coconut husks, and the packaging materials are biodegradable. Their goal is to create multi-functional, fashionable clothing with the hope of combating consumerism. Talk about inspiring!

Let’s not also forget Fashion Revolution Week, which celebrated its 8th anniversary this year in the UAE!

Since its founding, Fashion Revolution Week has been a global campaign in highlighting responsibility and transparency for the fashion industry. Not just in terms of sustainability, which is among its top priorities, but also to shine a light on important social and ethical issues that need immediate positive change.

So it was only fitting that the campaign was held this year in the region, in line with the UAE Vision 2021.

With the above showcasing just a few of the promising sustainability initiatives in the UAE, the country is definitely leading by example and taking big steps forward in the right direction to build a more sustainable future.

What we’ve already learned, and still continue to learn, from the progress made so far, is that economic growth doesn’t need to come at a cost to the environment. The latest sustainability approaches in the UAE have proven that there is a better way.

If we continue to abuse, we all lose. But if we think green and act green with every choice we make, no matter how big or small, we contribute to a better world for ourselves and a brighter future for future generations.

Can you hear the echo?

Wild Fabrik

At WILD FABRIK, we believe that fashion is a universal language through which we communicate who we are and what we stand for. With our blog entries we aim to provide you with an elegant guide to a sustainable lifestyle, packed with our experience, knowledge, and continuous research on sustainability matters. Driven by our passion for all things green, we hope to inspire you to be your own label and make conscious choices that look — and feel —good.

Is there something you’re particularly interested in reading from us? Drop us an email and let us know!

“Whether you’re eco-savvy or not, there’s no denying that the impact of climate change on our planet is realer than ever.”