Ministry of Climate Change launches 11 environmental initiatives to mark UAE’s 2nd annual Innovation Week

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, MOCCAE, is launching 11 environmental initiatives between 20th and 26th November to mark the UAE’s second annual Innovation Week, launched by Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Ministry is holding several contests for its employees and public during this period.

The MOCCAE has set up an ‘Air Quality Innovation Platform’, an innovation lab to engage those working in this space, and discussion are being held on how to improve air quality. The second phase of study on air quality monitoring through satellites, in collaboration with the Masdar Institute, is also being launched with the innovation platform.

Among other projects, ‘Our Happy Environment Encyclopaedia’ initiative aims to use 5D technology innovatively to enable individuals to enhance green behaviours in areas such as water, energy, waste, air quality, climate change, sustainability and ecological footprint. Another project called ‘Innovative 3Rs station’ is aimed at raising awareness and change the behaviour of individuals in the field of integrated waste management (reduce, reuse, recycle).

‘Schools Hackathon’ will also be organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to recognise students who developed innovative projects to tackle environmental challenges.

The ‘Environmental Innovation Marathon’ is a contest for the sectors within the ministry to come up with an innovative solution for existing challenges by using innovation tools.

The ‘Falak Tayeb’ initiative will honour clients who came up with creative and innovative ideas for developing services and service channels in different areas.

A visit will be organised to the Integrated Seawater Energy and Agriculture System, ISEAS, a complete seawater agricultural system that will serve as a research and development facility for Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium or SBRC, established to advance sustainable business practices by developing technologies with the promise of producing a clean, alternative fuel supply.

‘Eye on landfills’ initiative monitors the treatment and rehabilitation of landfills with the help of drone camera.

Then there is the ‘Environmental Innovation Eye’, a contest open to all members of the society. The participants can send in short video clips that show their innovative, eco-friendly practices and promotes eco-tourism in the UAE, protecting natural resources and conserving energy. Each video, with a hashtag, will have to be shared via the Ministry’s Instagram account.

‘Innovators in Air Quality’ is a contest to motivate university students to create areas of co-operation in innovation and teamwork to achieve the national agenda indicators to raise air quality index to 90 percent by 2021.

‘Agricultural Innovative Armour’ is a contest to promote agricultural innovation projects, using modern agricultural techniques, and effective and intelligent marketing methods.