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Scientific Solutions for a Sustainable World
FEATURE
Scientific Solutions for a Sustainable World Science and technology are imperative to efficient resource management and sustainable development
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By Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi
Managing Director of Dubai Science Park and Chairing Member of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Equipment Taskforce of the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030
24 A s the world continues to pursue conservation and environmental projects to protect and safeguard, businesses and their projects are now innovating to adapt this. Many consumers and stakeholders increasingly expect to see sustainability initiatives; and as such, sustainability has become a new part of the strategic, tactical, and operational
environment of many businesses. This raises some interesting questions. Why should organizations adopt these principles and methods alongside ongoing programs, projects, and operational work? What is the role of science as we move forward on this path?
need to keep innovating. Innovation is an integral element of the ‘United in Knowledge’ pillar of the UAE Vision 2021 that focuses on building a competitive knowledge-based economy. Validating this overarching focus, the UAE maintains its top position as the most innovative country in the Arab world on the Global Innovation Index 2019 while jumping two places from last year, to rank 36 th on the list.
Powering a Sustainable Future In the past, the quest for convenience and affordability were the main drivers of innovation. This meant that the focus was predominantly on efficiency and cost. However, with natural resources steadily depleting and environmental challenges continuing to surge, the spotlight has shifted. The world has long been aware of the acute need to mobilise science and technology to advance sustainable development. Scientists today face the formidable task of aligning the needs of society with prevailing economic and environmental interests to arrive at a sustainable model of growth. Organisations globally are also building models of sustainable growth that leverage this very principle.
A new report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) has warned that the world is soon going to be hit by a tsunami of electronic and electrical waste (e-waste) due to the sheer volume of such waste being generated and the lack of its recycling. The document, titled ‘A New Circular Vision for Electronics’, notes that the waste stream reached 48.5 million tonnes in 2018, and the figure is expected to more than double by 2050, if nothing changes. To make things more alarming, only 20% of global e-waste is being recycled.
Given the growing demand for sustainable solutions, science can help identify new ways to reuse or recycle existing resources in an efficient manner. As part of this priority, companies are increasingly targeting future-proof waste management solutions. In line with the UAE Vision 2021, that seeks to make the country cleaner and more sustainable through diverting 75% of waste away from the landfill, Averda – have made great strides
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in the field of e-waste recycling across the Middle East and Africa. Averda is leading the way in leveraging science and technology to address a broad range of environmental needs. Their successful partnerships with private and public sector entities in the UAE and abroad help preserve our natural resources and protect the environment.
A Top-Down Approach Heralding a new wave of positive change, the focus of governments on innovation for sustainability continues to have a ripple effect in ensuring paradigm shifts in mindsets and behaviours.
Sustainable development entails various science-backed strategies that ensure responsible use of resources with the aim of achieving a balance that can last over a long period of time. There are countless ways in which technology can play a role
here. Technological advances create opportunities for communities. Innovation is not limited to recycling but is also increasingly present in how we consume existing energy. Petra Systems is transforming energy-efficient streetlights into revenue-generating, renewable assets that deliver a smarter city through mobile voice and mobile data offload. Their LED streetlight networks improve energy efficiency and streetlight network management and reduce consumption by up to 75% enabling a highly efficient, smart net-zero energy streetlight network. It is delivering the next generation of public-private partnerships and generating revenue streams for utilities, municipalities, and mobile carriers.
Businesses and societies can find approaches that will move towards all three goals - environmental protection, social wellbeing, and economic development - at the same time. Sustainable development is good business. It creates opportunities for suppliers of ‘green consumers’, developers of environmentally safer materials and processes, firms that invest in eco-efficiency, and those that engage themselves in social well-being. These enterprises will generally have a competitive advantage. They will earn their local community’s goodwill and see their efforts reflected in the bottom line.
25 Deploying sustainable scientific solutions across industries is not just the latest trend but the imperative. Simply put, sustainability should be a business approach to creating long-term value by taking into consideration how a given organization operates in the ecological, social and economic environment. Sustainability is built on the assumption that developing such strategies foster company longevity.
