Turning problems into solutions

The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic has taught us many important lessons. One of the biggest is that inconvenient truths cannot be wished away. On the upside, the sense of purpose shown around the world demonstrates our ability to respond to challenges when we have the collective will.

This same purpose must be applied to longer term environmental challenges. For years, scientists have warned us that disaster awaits if we do not change our behaviour. I hope that we will now learn to trust the data and not just assume that things will turn out for the best.

One such issue is waste disposal. The World Bank estimates that 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste are produced globally every year, with around a third of that waste not managed in a responsible manner. Here in the UAE, we have one of the highest waste generation rates per capita in the world.

Over the years, we have improved the recycling and material recovery capabilities to achieve a waste diversion rate of 76 percent in Sharjah, the highest figure in the Middle East. But to drive Sharjah towards becoming a zero-waste city by 2021, we established a joint venture company with Masdar to form the Emirates Waste to Energy Company (EWTE).

Our first of many intended projects together is to build the region’s first waste-to-energy plant in Sharjah, which is on track for completion by the end of 2021. This facility will process more than 300,000 tonnes of waste each year to generate around 30 megawatts of energy, which will be able to power up to 28,000 homes and displace almost 450,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions yearly. We will ensure that pollutants are removed from the flue gases, while leftover fly ash will be turned into a harmless byproduct that can be reused for other purposes.

The facility will help us eliminate our landfills and contribute to the UAE’s target of diverting 75 percent of waste from landfills by 2021. It will also support the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to increase the contribution of clean energy from 25 percent to 50 percent by 2050 and reduce carbon footprint of power generation by 70 percent.

Imaginative solutions

At Bee’ah, we believe the key to a sustainable future is through digitalisation and heading towards a circular economy model. With innovation and planning, we can have a future that is low in carbon emissions, resource efficient, and socially inclusive. That’s why we are working on new technologies and projects to improve the quality of life, such as sustainable mobility solutions, district cooling, sustainable buildings and smart offices of the future. 

I have more hope than ever that together we can reimagine the future in a way that benefits our society, our economy and the environment. And dealing with waste will be a good place to start.