This article from official Dubai – http://www.dubai.ae/
On January 15, 2012, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President & Prime Minister of the UAE announced a long-term national initiative to build a green economy in the UAE under the theme ‘A green economy for sustainable development.’ The initiative was announced just one day before the start of the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi on 16th January, 2012.
Green Buildings
In implementation of a decision issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and as part of Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 for applying the specifications of green buildings to all the buildings and premises in Dubai with the aim of keeping Dubai a healthy city with a clean and pollution free environment, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), in co-operation with Dubai Municipality, has launched the Green Building Regulations & Specifications, a set of specifications and guidelines for regulating the criteria of the structure that allows adequacy in the consumption of electricity, water and renewed energy as part of the green buildings project in Dubai, which will make savings of around AED10 billion until 2030.
Environmental Tourism
Environmental tourism is a new type of environment friendly tourist activity that man practises to preserve the innate, natural and cultural heritage of the environment which he lives in. One of the initiatives of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai is embodied in the Dubai Green Tourism Award, which was launched last year by Dubai Government for the hospitality industry sector with the aim of reducing carbon emission from hotels by 20 per cent.
Sustainable Energy
In 2009, Dubai Chamber achieved the coveted LEED certification for Existing Buildings, while the Drainage and Irrigation Department of Dubai Municipality has a grey water treatment plant for use in irrigating local parks and trees.
In December 2011, the Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai allocated AED12 billion for producing electricity from the solar energy. Abu Dhabi aims also to produce 7 per cent of its energy by 2020 through the project of Masdar City, which will be the first emission-free city in the world. Masdar began to annually host the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi in 2008 and was selected to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Environmental Awards
Abu Dhabi has created Zayed Future Energy Prize in appreciation of the first environment supporter, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It also created another prize through the Zayed International Prize for the Environment, which is aimed at supporting and encouraging environmental activities and the distinguished national individual and collective initiatives contributing to sustainable development.