Aviation & Aerospace

The Sustainabilist ISSUE 26

Aviation & Aerospace

ISBN 978 - 1978357310

PREDICTIONS OF FUTURE AIR TRAVEL

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

How will Covid-19 revolutionalise traditional air travel?

Trade shows and exhibitions in the post-Covid-19 era

REIMAGINING LUXURY

PRIORITISING FOOD WASTE

Atmosphere Hotel's views on sustainability in their resorts

Winnow offers airlines solutions to their food waste challenges

WWW.THESUSTAINABILIST.AE

“At Veolia Middle East, we are not simply contributing to the but rather discovering new approaches towards creating a truly sustainable and communities and industries.�

www.veolia.com/middleeast

Issue 26 | November 2020

Letter from the Editor in Chief

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s the world steadily recovers from the shocks of the pandemic, Covid-19 still has aviation and aerospace in its grips. These challenging times have brought about many changes to the industry operations, varying from closures, and the implementation of strict health and safety measures to protect staff and passengers alike.

generation has the potential to reduce

technologies. Airbus, for example, has showcased its concept aircrafts that will be powered by hydrogen, a clean alternative to traditional jet fuel which, if adopted the anthropogenic emissions released into the atmosphere by aircrafts.

Government involvement and cooperation is of primary importance to the industry

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Eng Waleed Bin Salman Editor in Chief The Sustainabilist

The Sustainabilist Follow Us On

Editorial:

initiatives taken by airlines, governments, industry associations and agencies, and more, addressing their strategies to recover from the pandemic’s effects, and how these have conditions to preserve the environment.

While we are still in recovery mode, it is crucial that sustainability is not overlooked as a result of the pandemic. Our planet is still in danger and it is our responsibility to limit global warming in order to mitigate irreversible damage to the earth.

tellmeyourstory@dcce.ae

Commercial: venividivisa@dcce.ae

Government involvement and cooperation is of primary importance to the industry as governments can implement best practices resolve unnecessary challenges, such as the disposal of perfectly good quality airline food due to a lack of collaboration between countries. Associations and agencies lobbying policy makers to address these discords play a crucial role in ensuring a more sustainable industry.

All this and more included in this Aviation & Aerospace issue. Welcome aboard!

Aviation with its high fuel emissions, contributing to 2% of all human-induced carbon dioxide, noise pollution, and waste

Contribute at: www.TheSustainabilist.ae/contribute 2

The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

Contents

HAPPY FARMS

The Sustainabilist ISSUE 26

23

Aviation & Aerospace

PRIORITISING FOOD WASTE Winnow offers airlines solutions to their food waste challenges

REIMAGINING LUXURY Atmosphere Hotel's views on sustainability in their resorts

1

Editor in Chief

5

Insights on Airline Catering

THE SHOW MUST GO ON As trade shows return accross the world, how will these look?

10 Abu Dhabi takes Environmental Initiatives to the Air

PREDICTIONS OF FUTURE AIR TRAVEL

12 Scheduled for Take Off

How will Covid-19 revolutionlise traditional air travel?

14 Prioritising Food Waste in the Industry

The Aviation & Aerospace issue focuses on the adaptations and new strategies and targets of the industry as it recovers from the adverse impact of the pandemic.

17 CORSIA, a Green Economy Stimulant?

18 District Cooling in the Kingdom 20 Top 10 Predictions of the Future of Air Travel

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23 Happy Farms

INSIGHTS ON AIRLINE CATERING

26 Research 28 One-Way Route to Failure 30 The UAE’s Propelling Force 33 Sultan & Aisha 34 Trade in Trade Shows 36 Reimagining Luxury 38 How Soon Will We be Flying Emission Free?

40 Soaring High in the Cloud 42

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PRIORITISING FOOD WASTE IN THE INDUSTRY

18

The National Center of Meteorology Announces Targeted Research

44 One Step Ahead

DISTRICT COOLING IN THE KINGDOM

46 Our World is not an Ashtray

Issue 26 | November 2020

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Embassy of Italy Abu Dhabi

ITALY AT WETEX 2020

26 – 28 October 2020 | 10:00 - 18:00 WATER Hall, SUSTAINABILITY Hall Register to attend and schedule B2B digital meetings with 31 italian companies: https://www.wetex.ae/Visitorb2b/BookVisitorB2BMeeting

The Italian Trade Agency (ITA), the official Agency of the Italian Government which promotes the globalization of Italian firms under the aegis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in the UAE, presents the Italian expertise on sustainable and renewable technology at the first ever 3D virtual edition of Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) on 26-28 October 2020.

31 italian companies covering a cross-section of the country’s offerings in the sector will showcase the latest advancements in water treatment, recycling, solar energy generation and renewables, air control and environmental protection systems, and green building. Italy has consistently been one of the UAE’s preferred suppliers for renewable energy sector components for the last three years, with a notable increase of 16.47% in the first trimester of 2020, according to ITA Dubai office.

Visit ITA pavilions at WATER Hall and SUSTAINABILITY Hall

Follow @ITAdubai on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and check out https://www.ice.it/en/markets/united-arab-emirates for more updates.

Issue 26 | November 2020

INTERVIEW

Insights on Airline Catering The Sustainabilist spoke with Fabio Gamba, Managing Director of the Airline Catering Association, about the industry's challenges and opportunities

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an you give us a general overview of the functions of ACA?

ACA is a not-for-profit trade body that represents the interests of its members, a network of organisations and individuals, shaping the airline catering industry and driving positive change from within. We represent a vital segment in the transport value chain as airline caterers are a key stakeholder in the aviation industry whose business model has been in existence since that of airlines. When airlines were liberalised in the 1990s, carriers began outsourcing non-core businesses, including catering, and from there, airline catering organisations came into force as a separate business.

Typically, we work in functional working groups alongside our members, legislators, customers, and airlines to 6

The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

shape the policies relevant to our trade body, in order to promote and defend the members’ common interests. Each member is invited to join these working groups to share its own expertise and ensure that the resulting documents, manuals, campaign, or position papers serve them. We work to address and influence regulations and other agendas, an example of which is the European Commission’s directive on banning single-use plastics as well as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Is there interest from Middle Eastern catering services to become members of the ACA? Yes, as a matter of fact, one of the Founding Members is dnata, a very-well known Middle Eastern entity in the UAE. 7

We are also currently discussing with a few others, including, for instance, Saudi Airlines Catering. As an organisation, they have been quite open about their interest in joining in.

What regulatory initiatives have been produced to address the health and safety of the industry’s stakeholders in response to the pandemic?

The WHO was quick to disclose that there is no evidence to prove that Covid-19 is transmitted through food.

Notwithstanding this, passengers were apprehensive of this and so airlines came to us asking for something that would reassure passengers with respect to how their food is being produced and packaged. At the same

time, airlines were struggling due to the slump in air traffic. For these reasons, we created a Covid-19 task force, considering the lower demands, to ensure business continuity for the international traffic that remained and develop a manual in compliance with the different regulations relevant across the world.

This was a complex initiative as we had to develop a document based on local risk assessments, which would be scalable by the beneficiaries, according to the epidemiology of the disease and the corresponding regulations applied in different countries. Overall, I know that the work we did was extremely useful, especially judging from the interest its release has generated amongst the community. I think it is

Issue 26 | November 2020

How does the airline catering closedloop system work?

In general terms, airline catering is closedloop in the sense that meals are produced in a tightly controlled system with no interference from external variables. The food is produced at catering facilities and transported onto the airplanes prior to takeoff. Once the passengers have been served and the airplane has landed at its international destination, the food – or what is left of it – is then disposed of in a closed circuit as it is directly sent to landfills. This happens, first and foremost, because the majority of countries do not allow food coming from international destination to be dispersed internally.

This results in a massive amount of waste and so, to this effect, we are trying to convince governments that there should be a mutual recognition of the health and safety standards of the meals produced by airline caterers which all follow similar, strict guidelines.

in July of next year, and we anticipate this will be followed by other countries in the months and years to come. This is something that we are following closely as it affects our industry greatly. Airlines and caterers will have to adapt with less plastic onboard and more reusable materials. This is something that has already begun and so

However, to me, the recovery will have a

Sustainability is definitely a growing trend, even in the airline catering industry, and it is being embraced strongly.

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I trust the industry will be ready when the directive will enter into force.

What practices that embrace sustainability could we expect to see as airlines recover?

Sustainability is definitely a growing trend, even in the airline catering industry, and it is being embraced strongly. A point of advantage for us is the direct line of contact between the customers’ wants and our production. We can leverage the increased digitalisation, such as e-tickets and online check-ins, to provide passengers and increase their experience by allowing them to directly order their inflight meals. This way, passengers are more sensitised to the importance of food and since they ordered the meals according to their preferences, they will most likely eat it. This is something we are working on together with airlines as we believe this practice has the potential to significantly reduce food waste.

As I mentioned earlier, in the EU, the single-use plastics ban will come into force

Unfortunately, at this stage, with the Covid-19 crisis, a lot of things have been

Basically, a meal produced in country A which respects all the health and safety regulations should be considered as such in country B. This would diminish quite sensibly food waste generated by our industry. Unfortunately, this is a very lengthy process as we need to address highest level state representatives and persuade them that current legislations are obsolete.

put on hold simply due to the increasing cases of the virus and the dismal figures in terms of international flights. The majority of players in our industry are in survival mode, and as such, they are operating to get through these hard times.

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fair to say it really filled up a vacuum.

strong connotation of sustainability. So, while industry players are developing strategies to get back on their feet, discussions for adopting sustainable practices in the airline catering industry, such as standards and labelling for locally and sustainably grown foods, are taking place, albeit in the longer term.

There have been a number of State aid measures allocated to airlines globally in the last six months. The majority of these were made to safeguard jobs, which is a laudable thing. I do believe though that in the near future, should the crisis protract, we will start to see these State aids with a string of conditions related to environmental sustainability. In earnest, I believe there can be no meaningful future for the aviation industry as a whole, including caterers, if we are not able to show that we can operate in a much more sustainable way than we did in the past.

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Tiger Pro 585W Rethink Power

Higher module efficiency

TR Technology Half Cell

Exceptional LID performance

Higher Lifetime Power yield

MBB Instead of 5BB

Issue 26 | November 2020

JinkoSolar Unveils the Industry New Era with its 2020 flagship Tiger pro series

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he new Tiger Pro Series panels with excellent power output of up to 585Wp

commercialised, continuing the combination of tiling ribbon, MBB and half-cut cell technologies adopted in Tiger previous generation. This series includes standard 72 performance. All the modules under this family are available in both mono facial and bifacial options.

The utilisation of MBB and TR processes maximises power density, while half cut cell design minimises the power loss in shade conditions. Tiger Pro is highly compatible with both string and central inverters, either mounted with output of up to 585 Wp. Together with matching BOS system, it may achieve the lowest LCOE ever made in some geographic scenario according to the third party off in Q3 2020 or early next year.

The Tiger Pro Series builds on the success of Tiger’s TR tiling ribbon technology.

Key highlights of this series include: * The most powerful utility module ever of up to 585 watt peak

* 12-year product warranty, a 0.55% annual degradation over 25-year power warranty for mono facial and 0.45% annual degradation over 30- year power warranty for bifacial, resulting in a distinctly higher power yield over lifetime * Improved performance in shaded conditions * Flexible installation options

series, reinforcing our leading position in technology innovation and manufacturing totally different one to bring it to mass production. This series of three modules can Kangping Chen, CEO of JinkoSolar at the launch event.

ABOUT JinkoSolar is one of the leading and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world. Jinko distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in China, USA, Japan, Germany, UK, Chile, South Africa, India, Mexico, Brazil, UAE, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, and other countries and regions. Jinko has built a vertically integrated product value chain, with an integrated annual capacity of 12 GW for silicon wafers, 8 GW for solar cells, and 15 GW for solar modules, as of Sept. 30, 2019. When it comes to product quality, Jinko’s No.1 ranking in shipments for 3 consecutive years and a solid track record speaks for itself. As a leading module manufacturer, Jinko has shipped over 50GW solar modules to customers in 108 countries around the globe.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

FEATURE

Abu Dhabi takes Environmental Initiatives to the Air EAD and Etihad Airways have partnered to address environmental challenges of the emirate both on land and in the sky

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he Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Etihad Aviation Group (Etihad) joined forces by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that details collaboration on several critical environmental programmes. The programmes were all designed to align with international

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challenges and Abu Dhabi’s environmental agenda.

EAD and Etihad have selected globally significant priorities for the partnership which include: the reduction of singleuse plastics on flights, assessing carbon emission offsets and the protection and

conservation of biodiversity through awareness campaigns and screenings on in-flight entertainment. Moreover, both parties will collaborate on an integrated and sustainable waste management plan across Etihad’s activities.

Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of EAD, said: “Within Abu Dhabi we have seen a large number of prominent organisations all working towards collaborating with EAD on the conservation of the environment and Etihad is one of them. We are very pleased to be taking Abu Dhabi’s environmental priorities to the air and with the signing of this MoU we can begin serious work on critical environmental projects that are a major component of the Abu Dhabi government’s vision for a

She added: “By cooperating, soon we will see a major reduction of singleuse plastic aboard Etihad Airways – a

Issue 26 | November 2020

The said integrated waste management plan created by EAD and Etihad will aim to: reduce waste from different Etihad activities; classify waste based on an approved and sustainable methodology; increase the percentage of the use of recyclable materials, and finally, conduct research and implement initiatives to utilise biofuel.

The MoU is the next step in successful historical relations between EAD and Etihad, who partnered for the Year of Zayed Birdathon that saw 10 flamingos tracked by satellite from Al Wathba Protected Area – with some travelling as far as Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, and back to Abu Dhabi. Over two years later, many still have their tags on and are still transmitting data. Etihad has also been screening the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi’s wildlife documentaries ‘Back to the Wild’ and ‘Zayed’s Antarctic Lights’.

The Agency also had an ambassador on Etihad’s World Record Long Haul SingleUse, Plastic-Free Flight, between Abu Dhabi and Brisbane, on Earth Day last year.

Tony Douglas, Etihad Aviation Group CEO, said: “The drive to sustainable aviation and cleaner skies is a fundamental principle for Etihad Airways, and a shared objective with Abu Dhabi as we strive to reduce the historic reliance on oil and diversify the local economy, in line with the Abu Dhabi 2030 social and economic plan.

“As the agency essentially responsible for reaching the environmental objectives of the country, the EAD is helping to lead the way to a sustainable future for the UAE. Working together to build on our shared objectives and existing partnerships, the EAD and Etihad are able to put our vision and innovation to practice, developing real world solutions to environmental challenges that will have immediate and long-term benefits, not only for the UAE but for global consumers and communities.

“

EAD and Etihad have selected globally significant priorities for the partnership which include: the reduction of single-use plastics on flights, assessing carbon emission offsets

“

step forward in our overarching larger campaign for the capital. Furthermore, we will work together on a carbon offset programme and develop an integrated waste management system across Etihad’s

“Even in the face of the wider Covidrelated crisis aviation faces, it’s vitally important we remain committed to our Sustainability objectives, as responsible climate action remains the most significant long-term challenge facing the aviation industry. Our partnership with the EAD puts words into action and validates our commitment to sustainable aviation through transparent planning and

Regarding the single-use plastic project, the MoU stipulates that Etihad will commit to the reduction of single-use plastics by 2022 – at least an 80% reduction on

2020’s figures. EAD will use its expertise on environmental policies to guide and support Etihad to help them achieve this target. The Agency will also help to identify plastic items and their sustainable alternatives in line with the Abu Dhabi Single Use Plastic Policy launched in February this year.

To reduce and offset carbon emissions and harmful pollutants, both entities will devise climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives of mutual benefit, and together promote carbon footprint reduction and carbon offsetting.

Additionally, they will be developing and implementing pioneering projects to reduce air pollutants from Etihad’s activities.

In line with EAD’s strategic priority for the conservation and raising awareness on biodiversity, Etihad will display regular environmental features on the environment, biodiversity and ecotourism via its in-flight entertainment content and host a sustainable environmental channel that will showcase EAD’s documentaries as well as the most important current sustainability initiatives. Etihad will also consider partnering in wildlife satellite tracking and participate in ‘Collaboration on Animal Transport Association’ meetings with EAD, providing input related to animal transportation as per the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and other relevant conventions.

Overall, the MoU will result in Abu Dhabi’s environmental priorities being implemented in the sky, as well as on the land, air and in the sea with this collaboration between the two organisations.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

FEATURE

Scheduled for Take Off Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the nation’s newest airline, received its AOC, the last step in the regulatory processes for starting the airline

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izz Abu Dhabi is a joint venture between the Hungarian budget airline, Wizz Air and the Abu Dhabi state holding company, ADQ, founded in December 2019. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will offer low cost flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport and tap into growth markets across the MENA region and the Indian subcontinent.

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The UAE’s new national airline, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, has officially received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, GCAA, putting it on track to commence operations in November.

Receiving the AOC completes the last step in the regulatory processes for starting the airline and is the confirmation from the GCAA that Wizz Air Abu Dhabi

is in compliance with all applicable requirements and is fully capable of fulfilling its responsibilities and conducting a safe and efficient operation.

The AOC processes have been completed over the course of eight months, during a period of unprecedented crisis in the airline industry due to COVID-19, travel restrictions and lockdowns across the countries. Despite this, both the GCAA and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi representatives

Issue 26 | November 2020

Wizz Air demonstrated its operational capabilities to the GCAA during special demonstration flights conducted on board of the most modern aircraft currently available in the market, the Airbus A321 Neo. This aircraft type with its very fuel efficient, P&W GTF engines is as such also the first of its kind in the Middle East and certification thereof by the UAE authorities was conducted in parallel to the AOC process.

in the beginning of September, which has been branded with the distinguished “Abu

Dhabi to six planes.

“We congratulate Wizz Air for successfully obtaining the AOC after meeting all the required standards and passing all inspections. We are proud to add Wiz Air as a national carrier in the United Arab Emirates and I would like to thank all the employees of Wizz Air and the General Civil Aviation Authority team for the efforts

We will offer our customers ultra-low fares, a quality inflight product by our excellent cabin crew and will make the lowest possible environmental impact along the way.

“

“

managed to obtain the necessary requirements to acquire the operator certificate.

said Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of GCAA. The Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, Kees Van Schaick, said in a statement: “The issuance of the AOC marks the most important milestone for us as we have now received all regulatory approvals to operate the airline. We have clearly demonstrated to the GCAA that we are fully capable of conducting a safe operation. We will offer our customers ultra-low fares, a quality inflight product

by our excellent cabin crew and will make the lowest possible environmental impact along the way. Our new airline, majority owned by our partner ADQ, will bring a lot of value to Abu Dhabi airport and the emirate of Abu Dhabi. We are very grateful for the professionalism and co-operation shown by the GCAA in getting to this stage and we will ensure that Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is a worthy addition to the established UAE

This announcement is the latest step in Wizz Air’s journey to establishing its presence in Abu Dhabi. Through affordable travel opportunities on their low fare network, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will contribute to the emirate’s economic development and diversity strategy through the expansion of Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry.

Passengers can expect to spend as little as AED129 on a ticket through the website and mobile app to fly to the airline’s six routes, which will add an annual capacity of 350,00 seats.

To restore consumer confidence in air travel, Wiz Air Abu Dhabi is enhancing protective measures taken to ensure the maximum possible sanitary conditions for travellers. The airline has underscored hygiene measures and highlighted protocols such as mandatory face masks for staff as well as passengers, and aircraft disinfection procedures.

It is encouraging to see that airlines are still being launched, regardless of the pandemic and its adverse effects on the aviation and tourism industries. This goes to show that investors anticipate demand for air Alexandre de Juniac, Director General of International Air Transport Association.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

FEATURE

Prioritising Food Waste in the Industry

By Marc Zornes CEO & Co-founder, Winnow

Food waste is great challenge for the aviation industry, but tech companies are offering promising solutions

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aste management is an ageold problem for the aviation industry. Whilst inroads have been made to reduce plastic waste and improve recycling rates, food waste remains a challenge. With the industry facing turbulent times due to the global pandemic, there has never been a more important time to ensure operations are as lean and green as possible.

The aviation industry has been hit hard

by COVID-19. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) latest 15

Issue 26 | November 2020

Understandably airlines are concentrating on keeping the lights on and staying in business, however the pandemic also presents a changing consumer base with new values and behaviours. The links between human and planetary health have been laid bare by the COVID-19 crisis.

Consumer demand for sustainable brands was already a mega trend before lockdowns.

For example, a Deloitte research in 2019 found that more than two-thirds say they’re hearing demands from customers to increase their commitment to good environmental practices.

As people have stayed at home, they have seen how human activity is strongly related to climate change. The lockdown has resulted in rare sightings of blue skies from Beijing to Delhi, and worldwide CO2 emissions are predicted to fall by 8% in 2020. The crisis has also painted a stark picture of the potential global impact of climate change if we fail to act.

Increasingly consumers will be less tolerant of businesses with poor environmental records.

According to The International Council of Clean Transportation, CO2 emissions from all commercial airline operations in 2018 totalled 918 million metric tonnes - 2.4% of global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use.

In step with the likes of IKEA, Amazon, Microsoft and many other global brands, airlines are starting to set science-based targets to reach net zero emissions. In mid-September, Oneworld became the first

airline alliance to commit to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Whilst a transition from fossil fuels to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is undoubtedly key if we are to have a chance of meeting these targets, operators should also be looking for other lower hanging fruit to drive down environmental impact. Research in 2017 conducted by WRAP and IATA found that 1.14 million tonnes of food was wasted from in-flight catering per year.

To put that into perspective, that equates to almost 5M tonnes of CO2e, which is

Close to 500 kg of food items, including fruits, vegetables, bakery items and meat, were saved each day

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“

estimate shows flight volumes are still down by over 50% (as of September 2020) and global losses are estimated at USD 84.3bn.

It’s clearly an incredibly challenging period for the sector requiring operators to quickly adapt to new hygiene and safety requirements.

the equivalent of a Boeing 737 flying from Dubai to London 27,000 times.

The business case for tackling this issue is also clear. Pre-pandemic the global aviation catering market was estimated to be USD18bn. Even at 50% passenger volume, the savings potential for airlines taking a strategic approach to reduce food waste is sizable.

To solve the problem, operators are increasingly turning to technology to provide insight and analytics to help drive down waste. One example of this is Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) who operate a state-of-the-art complex dedicated to servicing the flights of

Emirates. With a built-up area of over 56,000 m2, it’s the largest facility of its kind in the world. At peak production levels the facility can prepare 225,000 meals per day.

The EKFC culinary team is working with Winnow, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) company who help caterers track and reduce food waste with computer vision and machine learning. Having already established a baseline, the EKFC team are working towards a 35% reduction target in its central operations.

The project follows previous efforts to reduce food wastage across the airline.

In thefinancial year 2019-20 close to 500 kg of food items, including fruits, vegetables, bakery items and meat, were saved each day to be used in small goods, or were reused for different purposes in the company’s retail operations.

Globally, food waste accounts for around 8% of greenhouse gas emissions and if we are serious about mitigating against the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change we simply must act. As part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, goal 12.3 sets out an ambition to halve food waste by 2030.

To achieve this, governments, citizens, innovators and businesses must all work together to set targets and take action.

The business case is compelling, and post pandemic it’s unlikely that consumers will accept a return to the ‘old normal’ where sustainability performance is concerned.

The aviation industry has survived through difficult times in the past, and will do so again. The future of travel has to be sustainable, and tackling food waste is a quick win for people, planet, and profit during these testing times.

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Integrated Energy Logistics Provider The Tristar Group is a fully integrated Logistics Solutions provider that offers a comprehensive list of services to cater to the needs of the petroleum, chemical and petrochemical industries, both in the region and globally. The company’s core expertise lies in its ability to safely handle and distribute all types of retail fuels, lubricants, chemicals, petrochemicals and liquid gases.

Specialized Warehousing for Chemicals & Dangerous Goods

Commercial Aviation Refueling

The JAFZA South custom built warehouse has the capability to offer both ambient and temperature controlled storage for a wider range of petroleum products, including industrial solvents and soft chemicals. Total warehouse capacity is in excess of 15,000 pallet positions. The facility has an in-house fully automatic tank cleaning facility installed by Groninger (Europe). The tanks will be cleaned with soft water with chlorine content less than 50PPM alongside with a high pressure pump of 100 bar and a Boiler designed to produce steam at 1.2 TPH, which generates hot water of 80 Degrees Celsius. A fully automated effluent treatment plant will treat and recycle all waste water from the cleaning station to be used for general cleaning and irrigation purposes.

Tristar is into Commercial Aviation Refueling operations in South Sudan and Liberia. It has a 25-year contract with CAA Uganda for the construction and operation of an Aviation Fuel Farm and Hydrant Line facilities at Entebbe Airport which will commence operations in the 4th quarter of 2020. Tristar’s Aviation facilities comply with international standards, specifications and guidelines set by IATA, JIG, AFQRJOS, as well as with IFQP requirements set by Airlines for Aviation Fuel Quality Control and Operating Procedures. Tristar has been a member of IATA since 2008 and recently became a JIG member. It has a technical service agreement with Hansaconsult.

Polymer Bulk & Bagging Warehouse

Fuel Farm

The multi logistics polymers facility in JAFZA South is designed for receiving bulk PP/PE granules into silos and bagging of the granules by fully automated bagging operation into FFS film bags and/or big bags. The packed material can be stored inside the warehouse in racking with a capacity of 8,000 tons. It also has a drum filling station with capability to drum from ISO tanks and road tankers thus providing customers a solution to receive in bulk and store and distribute in packed conditions.

Tristar owns, operates and manages 62 fuel farms globally with a storage capacity of more than 788 million liters for handling a wide range of petroleum products like Jet Fuel, Gasoline, Gasoil, Fuel Oil, etc. Tristar’s fuel farms and storage depots are constructed and maintained in the services of its clients. Our largest fuel farm is in the Pacific island of Guam which has a capacity of 4.2M barrels. All the operations comply with the local and international safety and environment standards, including OSHA and USEPA.

Road Transport

Shipping

Tristar owns and operates over 1,700 vehicles ranging from road tankers, trailers and delivery pickups in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Operations are certified for Integrated Management System including the latest ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 39001. Tristar is periodically assessed by the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association for SQAS (Safety and Quality Assessment System).

Email: info@tristar-group.co

The shipping business acquired Eships in early 2016 and now owns and operates more than 30 chemical, oil and gas tankers and bulk carriers trading globally, mostly with Oil Majors. The vessels include the six Eco MR tankers (50,000 DWT) delivered in 2016 and the six new build 25,000 MT DWT, IMO Type 2 Oil and Chemical tankers to be delivered between June 2020 till January 2021. These ships are fitted with fuel saving equipment such as the Propeller Boss Cap Fins and Trim Optimization System.

Website: www.tristar-group.co

Issue 26 | November 2020

#THEGREENECONOMIST

CORSIA, a Green Economy Stimulant?

By Ivano Iannelli CEO, Dubai Carbon

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n October 2016, the ICAO General Assembly took a stance against the environmental impact of the international aviation industry, and in cooperation with industry and civil society representatives, developed a global market-based measure (GMBM) known as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). CORSIA is the first industry sector mechanism to curb CO2 emissions and aims to pursue ICAO’s goals of increasing fuel efficiency by 2% annually and carbon-neutral growth of civil aviation from 2021 onwards.

In 2018, domestic and international flights emitted almost 900M tonnes of CO2, or 2.4% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. These are expected to continue to grow with passenger numbers estimated to double in 2037.

Under the CORSIA scheme, to make all growth in international flights after

2020 carbon neutral, airlines will have to either use lower carbon sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) considered eligible

by CORSIA, or buy emission reduction offsets from other sectors to compensate for any increase in emissions.

The scheme will be implemented gradually and will expand as more member states take part. Beginning next year, all airlines operating routes between volunteering states (which are currently 88) will be subject to offsetting requirements, but will only apply to operators with international emissions greater than 10,000 tCO2 per year.

The offsetting requirements will entail airlines emitting more than their 2019 baseline to essentially buy credit that has been verified as having reduced emissions elsewhere. Airlines will use emissions and these are then removed from circulation so they may not be used again.

The ICAO Council decided on the 6 carbon-offsetting programmes and the emission units eligible for the pilot

phase, and these include the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which the UAE is quite familiar with. The CDM was designed to enable emissionreduction projects to earn Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) credits which can then be traded and sold. As of August last year, the UAE had produced over 1.3 million CERs, equating to the removal of 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 from atmosphere globally.

The CORSIA adds a source of incentive for companies and nations to contribute to the development of a green economy.

The trading of certified credits provides a new source of revenue for project developers and allow for shorter payback periods. The result is a greater willingness to invest in renewable energy projects that can generate more credits and overall raise climate protection investment.

The UAE’s willingness to volunteer for CORSIA’s pilot programme is evidence of the nation’s commitment to safeguarding the planet and managing its resources sustainably, accelerating its journey towards carbon neutrality.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

FEATURE

District Cooling in the Kingdom District cooling continues to power major developments in the GCC

By Tabreed, National Central Cooling Company PJSC

F

uelled by rapid urban development, and a growing population, energy consumption in buildings in Saudi Arabia has been rising at an average rate of around 6% per annum since 2010. Cooling accounts for around 70% of this consumption, making it a chief driver of this trend.

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Issue 26 | November 2020

District cooling is one such solution. As cooling demand surges worldwide – and particularly in more arid regions like the Kingdom - district cooling is increasingly being recognised as a climate-resilient, low-carbon and cost-efficient solution.

District Cooling consumes energy at a level that is 20 to 30% below that of the most efficient conventional cooling solutions, and 60 to 80% below that of average conventional cooling systems.

In the GCC, Tabreed, is an undisputed pioneer and industry leader established more than 20 years ago, which owns and operates 83 district cooling plants, thereby delivering more than 1.345 million refrigeration tonnes (RT) to key developments across the region. This includes iconic projects such as the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Opera, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Yas Island Entertainment district, the Dubai metro, the Bahrain Financial Harbour, and the King Khalid International Airport to name just a few.

Through this portfolio of assets, Tabreed already contributes significantly to the reduction of emissions and the mitigation of climate change. In 2019 alone, we contributed to saving 2.06 billion

kilowatt/hours, preventing the release of 1.23 million metric tonnes of CO2.

Regionally, Saudi Arabia has been a global trendsetter, steadily increasing the scale of district cooling system deployment across the Kingdom.

Saudi Tabreed currently owns four projects with a total contracted capacity of

District Cooling consumes energy at a level that is 20 to 30% below that of the most efficient conventional cooling solutions.

“

“

This increased consumption of energy comes at a time when policymakers have committed to phasing out fossil fuels from the electricity generation mix. As such, cooling – and the solutions the Kingdom opts to take – directly impact its strategy to transition to a more sustainable strategy. This desire to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cooling formed are part of Saudi Arabia’s circular carbon economy strategy, announced earlier this year.

138,000 RT. The largest of these was the result of a concession agreement under the BOOT framework with the Jaber Omar Development, supplying a total of 56,000 RT. Another of our key projects in the Kingdom was the result of a concession

agreement under the BOOT framework with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The agreement saw Tabreed take over current district cooling operations for the King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) site in Riyadh for a total of 20,000 RT, making Saudi Tabreed the exclusive provider of cooling services to KKIA. Further expansion of this capacity may also be possible in the coming years.

Other contracted projects in the Kingdom include Saudi Aramco, King Fahad University of Petroleum, and the King Abdullah Financial District (Operations and Maintenance). Additionally, earlier this year, Saudi Tabreed put pen to paper on three new projects with a contracted capacity of 93,000 RT, to be completed by 2023.

Jubail Economic City is a mega mixed-use development comprising commercial, retail, residential, and entertainment facilities, with a total project capacity of RT 42K. The new headquarters of Jubail University College will cover an area of 2 million square metres, with a total project capacity of 36,000 RT. As for the King Abdul Aziz Road Development, located in the Holy City of Mecca, it is expected to have a final cooling capacity of 106,000 RT. The urban development project comprises a total of 1.2 million square metres and provide connectivity to the Al Haram.

Our takeaway from all this is simple: we believe in the budding potential for the district cooling industry, with its focus on new technology and invention underpinning what many hope will be a future full of sustainable progress in Saudi Arabia and beyond. At Tabreed, we are confident that this will only benefit future generations.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

TOP 10

Top 10 Predictions of the Future of Air Travel

3

Industry insiders and experts have predicted what the impact of Covid-19 could be on air travel

2 1 21

Biometric check-ins Our faces will be our tickets as biometric softwares will match your features with your flight, while assessing your security and health risks.

Hygiene tax We will likely see the option of flying with premium hygiene features with higher standards of cleanliness.

7

the price is high

8

Across the industry, prices for travellers will be higher as airlines, hotels, restaurants and more try to make up for the limited headcount.

Let go of the handles We won’t need to wheel our trolleys around as smart bags will be equipped with tracking systems that follow us as we move.

back to the agents Travel agencies can expect to see heightened business as travellers turn to them for their valuable insights on the blueprints of a trip.

Issue 26 | November 2020

4 9

Into the wild National parks and reserves in countries with good governance and conservation will become hotspots of tourism.

No more cramming With the practice of working from home, individuals will take longer trips as they merge vacation and smart working in their preferred locations.

5

For the culture We can expect tourism to shift from the typically crowded cities to less crowded ones with strong cultural offerings, contributing to the latter’s economic development.

10

6

Flexible booking Airlines will need to make it easier to change a flight booked months in advance and remove the hefty fees. People should not feel that they are forced to fly if they are feeling unwell.

Privacy is key Private air travel in jets has already witnessed a fundamental comeback as travellers ty to avoid crowded public areas such as airport check-ins and airplanes.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

AVIATION SUSTAINABILITY

A

L O W

DESIGNING C A R B O N

F U T U R E

BY THE ORGANISERS OF

25 NOVEMBER 2020 | DUBAI, UAE LEARN MORE: WWW.AVIATIONSUSTAINABILITY.AERO | 23

@DUBAIAIRSHOW

Issue 26 | November 2020

INTERVIEW

Happy Farms The Sustainabilist interviewed Willem van Walt Meijer, the recently appointed CEO of Al Ain Farms

W

hat is Al Ain Farms doing to ensure customers are supplied with top-quality and safe products and how have operations changed in light of the pandemic?

Al Ain Farms has continued to operate seamlessly during these challenging times, increasing its capacity to produce locally made, fresh products delivered daily across the UAE. The core functions of farming, production and sales remained operational 24 hours throughout the whole year to ensure continuity of supply, and we have tirelessly undertaken all necessary measures to prevent any HSE breaches at our farms.

Our operational readiness and crisis protocol were key in making sure the health of our employees and business continuity were safeguarded. It was a learning experience, but responsive and quick implementations, such as the opening of Al Ain Farms’ Care centre in Sharjah for quarantine and 24

The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

In line with our goal to serve the nation, Al Ain Farms sources most of the ingredients and packaging materials it requires locally. This has helped to ensure that the continuity of supply has not been interrupted. The millions of bottles of

25

“

We pay careful attention to how our cattle are treated and use the latest technology to ensure that they are not overworked and stressed.

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medical security, and the rehousing of 600 employees, meant that we were able to continue business as usual. Rigorous testing and a phased approach to workingfrom-home undoubtedly were key in preserving the welfare of our employees.

Safeguarding our partners and suppliers was also a key priority for us and we implemented a protocol with immediate effect, securing minimum impact along the supply chain.

milk, laban, yoghurt, juice and camel milk our customers rely on every day, as well as fresh chicken and eggs, have continued to be delivered on a daily basis from our home in Al Ain to all our retail partners all over the UAE. There’s no doubt that customer experience has been transformed by this pandemic; what do you think the longterm impact will be?

The short-term crisis has been overcome and we believe that long-term customer demand for healthy, competitively priced products will remain as strong as ever.

Increasingly, consumers also want to

Issue 26 | November 2020

do more than simply consider concepts such as animal welfare and environmental protection. Happier cattle produce more, higher quality milk, and from the onset, we have a commitment to spearhead initiatives focussed on ensuring animal welfare.

production capacity, we aim to increase that figure to one billion litres of water annually.

We pay careful attention to how our cattle are treated and use the latest technology to ensure that they are not overworked and stressed. This is achieved by applying cooling systems across the farm to keep the cows stress free so they can continue to maintain high levels of milk production.

We shower our cows regularly and teams of dedicated veterinaries are constantly on site to provide 24-hour care for all the animals. All our animals are antibiotic and hormone free.

Working closely with regulatory authorities, stakeholders and peers has always been a key priority for Al Ain Farms. Most recently, we have worked on a roadmap launched by HE Mariam Almheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, on a proposal to further the objectives of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy in achieving food security. A UAE born entity, representing dairy and poultry, we were proud to work together with sectoral leaders on a proposal which catalysed in implementations on a regulatory level.

Dairy farms do place large demands on the environment, particularly in terms of water consumption. That is why we make great efforts to ensure the water we use is recycled within two processing plants.

We now recycle around half a billion of litres of water annually and, as we increase

How has Al Ain Farms helped address the UAE’s food security challenges, and what plans do you have to continue this?

Going back to Al Ain Farms’ inception in 1981, this company was created so that the people of the UAE could have daily access to fresh milk. So, you could say that we have been helping the UAE work towards

self-sufficiency in the vital category of dairy products for nearly 40 years.

When we began in 1981, we had just 200 cows and one milk processing plant.

Today, we operate four farms, with nearly 15,000 heads of cattle. In fact, it was during the pandemic that we welcomed 4,000 new cows to our herd, a timely exercise for continued efforts in ensuring food security in the UAE. We are proud of the part we have played in helping the UAE achieve a self-sufficiency rate in dairy products of more than 60%.

For Al Ain Farms, striving to protect the natural resources of the UAE, including soil, water, and air, is an integral part of our operational ethos. The focus is not only on meeting current, but also future needs for food production. Recently, present-day pressures on all of Earth’s resources have generated widespread interest in this important effort; however, for Al Ain Farms, the core aspects of sustainability have always been an integral part of our farmers’ personal values and daily on-farm practices.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

RESEARCH

ESTIMATED REVENUE LOSSES FOR 2020

2020 Outlook on Air Travel

-47.3%

MIDDLE EAST PRE-COVID 19 FIGURES

NORTH AMERICA

1.3 million

-51.2%

FLIGHTS

$213 billion GDP AVIATION CONTRIBUTION

AFRICA

-50.5%

192 million

PASSENGERS, 4.2% OF GLOBAL PASSENGERS

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

43% BORDERS CLOSED 43% OF DESTINATIONS AROUND THE WORLD CLOSED, OR PARTIALLY CLOSED, BORDERS (90 COUNTRIES).

IMPACTS ON TOURISM 27

TOURISM

27%

LATIN AMERICA & CARRIBEAN

21%

9%

FLIGHTS CANCELLED

TRAVEL PROHIBITED

RESTRICTIONS

27% OF DESTINATIONS TOTALLY OR PARTIALLY CANCELLED INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS REGARDLESS OF ORIGIN (56 COUNTRIES

21% OF DESTINATIONS ISSUES TRAVEL PROHIBITIONS FOR PASSENGERS ORIGINATING IN COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY COVID19 (44 COUNTRIES).

IS THE ACTIVITY MOST AFFECTED BY THE RESTRICTIONS

9% OF DESTINATIONS ISSUED RESTRICTIONS (QUARANTINES, VISA LIMITATIONS, PROHIBITIONS FOR VISITING CERTAIN AREAS OR MEDICAL CERTIFICATES).

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

WILL TAKE THE LONGEST TO RECOVER LEVELS SIMILAR TO 2019

Ja nu ar y 6, Ja 20 nu 20 ar y 13 Ja ,2 nu 02 ar 0 y 20 Ja ,2 nu 02 ar 0 y 27 Fe ,2 br 02 ua 0 ry Fe 3, 20 br ua 20 ry 10 Fe ,2 br 02 ua 0 ry Fe 17 ,2 br ua 02 ry 0 24 ,2 M 02 ar 0 ch 2, 20 M 20 ar ch 9, 20 M ar 20 ch 16 ,2 M ar 02 ch 0 23 ,2 M 02 ar ch 0 30 ,2 02 Ap 0 ril 6, 20 Ap 20 ril 13 ,2 02 Ap 0 ril 20 ,2 02 Ap 0 ril 27 ,2 02 M 0 ay 4, 20 20 M ay 11, 20 M 2 ay 0 18 ,2 02 M ay 0 25 ,2 02 Ju 0 ne 1, 20 Ju 20 ne 8, 20 Ju 20 ne 15 ,2 Ju 02 ne 0 22 ,2 Ju 02 ne 0 29 ,2 02 Ju 0 ly 6, 20 Ju 20 ly 13 ,2 02 Ju 0 ly 20 ,2 02 Ju 0 ly 27 ,2 Au 02 gu 0 st 3, Au 20 gu 20 st 10 ,2 Au 02 gu 0 st 17 Au ,2 02 gu st 0 24 Au ,2 02 gu st 0 Se 30 pt ,2 em 02 b 0 er Se pt 7, em 20 20 be Se r1 pt 4, em 20 20 b e Se r2 pt 1, em 20 be 20 r2 8, O 20 ct ob 20 er 5, O ct 20 ob 20 er 12 O ,2 ct 02 ob 0 er 19 ,2 02 0

Issue 26 | November 2020

GLOBAL COVID-19 IMPACT

-62.6%

EUROPE

-10.

46 million

-58.9% JOBS SUPPORTED BY AVIATION ARE AT RISK

50.6%

ASIA PACIFIC FORECASTED REDUCTION IN 2020 PASSENGERS COMPARED TO 2019

-53% 64%

GLOBAL FLEET WAS GROUNDED IN APRIL 2020

MIDDLE EAST

1.5 mn tonnes OF CARGO, MOST OF WHICH WAS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

YEAR-ON-YEAR CHANGE OF WEEKLY FLIGHT FREQUENCY OF GLOBAL AIRLINES FROM JANUARY 6 TO NOVEMBER 2, 2020, UAE VS WORLD

10.

0.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

-20.

GLOBAL

-30.

-40.

-50.

-60.

-70.

-80.

-90.

-100.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

HOT SEAT

One-Way Route to Failure Why was the A380 so quick to fail?

T

he Airbus A380, described as a

largest passenger aircraft. With private flat-bed suites, lounges, cocktail bars, and even showers, the double-decker planes offer unprecedented stability and comfort to its passengers, and as Bob Lange, Head of Business Analysis and Market Forecast, claimed, they developed “the most passenger preferred aircraft in

Airbus, however, made the decision to cut the A380’s wings, just 12 years since its launch in 2007. The announcement was made at the beginning of last year after Emirates Airline cut its order of the superjumbo jet by 39 planes from 162 to 123 in February 2019, signalling the end of the aircraft who witnessed weak backlogs of orders with not enough demand from airlines to warrant continuing production.

Lange went on to say that the success of the A380 had been made possible by the symbiotic 12 year-long relationship with 29

Emirates. But ironically, it is because of Emirates’ success with the A380 other airlines were unable to compete as they “had a hard time finding markets with was the only airline that had placed an order of over 100 A380s.

At its maximum capacity, in an alleconomy layout, the A380 can carry up to 868 passengers and can generate USD150 million of revenue per year.

The issue, however, is filling those seats.

The aircraft sustains heavy losses if seats are not sold. The plane’s capacity was supposed to be its advantage point. A larger aircraft would mean fewer terminal gates to accommodate passengers, as well as more passengers, which meant lower ticket fares. But more seats also mean unreasonable costs to upgrade the cabin once the plane ages. The estimated cost of upgrading economy and business class is over USD 45 million which is excessive compared to investing in a newer aircraft instead.

The other aspect of the A380 making it uneconomically viable are its four engines.

Since the A380’s launch, technology has evolved rapidly and substantially to improve engine power and efficiency. In fact, both Boeing and Airbus launched the extremely efficient, twin-engine 787 Dreamliner and A350 respectively, which offered a lower price point. Moreover, fuel is the biggest operating cost for airlines and so a quad-engined aircraft was less appealing to airlines than the plane’s ability to provide an unmatched passenger experience.

As airlines recover, grounding the A380 for the foreseeable future, if not retiring the fleet altogether is the strategy the majority of airlines across the world are adopting when it comes to the superjumbo jet given the dismal demand for international flights and its corresponding costs. As impressive and comfortable as it is, the A380 was not able to succeed. It was built for a market that does not exist, and now, with the pandemic, probably won’t exist for years to come.

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INTERVIEW

The UAE’s Propelling Force The Sustainabilist interviewed HE Saif Mohammed Al-Suwaidi, Director General of GCAA, on the entity’s continued efforts to support the nation’s aviation sector and aspiring youth

H

ow has GCAA supported national airlines and ensured the safety of individuals in this critical time?

When the first indications of a pandemic appeared, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) issued guidance for the implementation of aviation security measures during the pandemic, in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) security requirements, to protect aviation security screeners, passengers and staff during aviation security operations by applying appropriate health and sanitary measures.

31

The UAE, through GCAA, actively participated in the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) for the restart, recovery and resilience of civil aviation following the COVID-19 outbreak. The GCAA released material across the aviation sectors that supported stakeholders with the flexibility to deal with complex challenges faced in their day-to-day service provision during the pandemic, while maintaining a strong aviation security system and implementing harmonised contingency measures.

How will the pandemic transform the

future of aviation sector in the region and beyond?

For now, this remains unclear.

Resumption of higher volumes of passenger air travel both regionally and globally will be dependent on a number of factors, including public health agency guidelines, governmental travel restrictions and requirements, passenger confidence, and air carrier and airport operational capacity. It is likely that any recovery will be uneven and may need to be carried out in stages. An ‘agile’ riskbased approach will enable transitioning between stages of restarting operations

Issue 26 | November 2020

and adjusting the mitigation measures based on risk, while recognising that reverting to previous stages may be necessary. The acceptance of equivalent measures based on shared principles and internationally recognised criteria will be a fundamental enabler to restore air services on a global level.

How is GCAA contributing to equipping the UAE’s youth and future leaders with relevant technical skills?

Youth empowerment has been reflected in a youth strategy developed by the UAE

that led to the establishment of youth councils enabling the next generation of men and women to shape their future. To this effect, the GCAA is actively working on paving the way for the next generation to lead. As a testimony of our dedication to the youth in aviation, GCAA established the GCAA Youth Council which focuses on: • Youth knowledge, accountability building and empowerment as well as gender equality concerns; • Youth representation among the aviation sector; and

•

Youth engagement among all aviation sectors globally.

How has the pandemic affected plans to incorporate sustainability initiatives in the aviation industry?

Covid-19 has affected the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) significantly. This scheme, officially implemented in the UAE in 2019, is a market-based measure for the global airline industry, aiming to mitigate emissions from international air travel. Initially,

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Due to the pandemic and the resulting reduction in international flights by 66% compared to 2019 figures (estimated by IATA), ICAO has taken the decision to use 2019 emissions as the baseline for CORSIA, instead of 2020. The UAE, along with other nations, supported the change in the baseline consideration given that 2019 represents the normal operation of the UAE’s aviation industry.

GCAA, through the Aviation Environment Working Group (AEWG), collaborated on identifying the pandemic’s impacts on the CORSIA scheme implementation in the UAE. As a result, various working groups were established to maintain our nation’s leading role in the industry and to minimise the impacts on the scheme 33

implementation. As 2020 is a critical year for implementing the scheme, we continue to work alongside AEWG to meet CORSIA deadlines and substantiate the UAE’s aviation industry’s commitment to the programme. In addition to the efforts aimed at a carbon neutral growth for the industry, we have also witnessed developments in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for which we deemed it vital to engage the UAE oil sector and other stakeholders to provide the right expertise to support the future of UAE aviation industry. We are also working to develop Low Carbon Aviation Fuel (LCAF) Technologies alongside the national oil sector and regional stakeholders, for which the UAE is one of the focal points of the LCAF sub-group as ICAO’s LongTerm Aspiration Goals (LTAG).

The UAE aviation sector continues to uphold its leading role in the ICAO Technical Advisory Board by driving methodologies and protocols subgroups with the goal of evaluating and assessing environmental programmes across the globe and recommend the same for CORSIA’s international aviation offsetting requirements.

“

The UAE aviation sector continues to uphold its leading role in the ICAO Technical Advisory Board by driving methodologies and protocols subgroups

“

CORSIA had been developed to consider the average level of CO2 emissions from international aviation occurring during 2019 and 2020 as the baseline for carbon neutral growth from 2020 onwards.

International aviation CO2 emissions from 2021, and thereafter, exceeding the baseline average of 2019 and 2020 would represent the sector’s offsetting requirements for that year.

The pandemic has undoubtedly presented numerous challenges to our industry, including to efforts devised to mitigate its environmental impact, but we are proud to state that the high level of cooperation between the GCAA and various national and international stakeholders has minimized these obstacles significantly.

Issue 26 | November 2020

That's a cool plane!

That’s no ordinary plane, Sultan, that’s the Green Plane! The most sustainable airplane there is.

It’s also super quiet, that’s got to be good for the environment

You see, it has solar panels, and it runs on low carbon fuels.

SUSTAINABILITY SUPERHEROES

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INTERVIEW

The Show Must Go On The Sustainabilist spoke with Gareth Wright, an Event Communications Consultant, on the return of physical trade shows

I

s the events sector beginning to recover? What is the sentiment on hosting trade shows as the economies are starting to pick up?

It certainly is, and smaller to mid-size exhibitions and conferences are now taking place under strict health and safety measures. GITEX Technology week will also take place in December this year at the Dubai World Trade Centre so the sector is

35

really beginning to pick up again which is great news and very positive.

Messe Frankfurt Middle East (MFME) has been undergoing research over the last four months, where we’ve carried out two market surveys of more than 7,000 professionals from 130 countries, exploring the impact of Covid-19 on the global exhibitions industry.

The dual surveys, conducted in June and September, looked at key areas such as

willingness to travel, budgets, and the importance of trade fairs in a post-pandemic world.

What the research found is that Dubai’s prominence in this sector is phenomenal.

It’s easily seen as one of the safest cities in the world, and that position has strengthened over the last four months. I seen Dubai handle this crisis. In fact, the

Issue 26 | November 2020

“

People aren’t finding the solutions they’re looking for online and recognise that they really need to be at physical trade fairs.

“

surveys revealed that 77% of respondents viewed Dubai as the safest destination to attend exhibitions post Covid-19.

In your opinion, how essential are trade fairs to business and economic recovery post pandemic?

Trade fairs are vital to economic recovery, and the good news is that this is backed up by the vast majority of our stakeholders.

Referring back to our research, more than two thirds of our survey respondents agreed that as the novel coronavirus recedes and a semblance of normality returns, exhibitions will be more important for business, or just as important, compared to the past.

Initially, when we carried out the research in June 2020, we saw people looking at alternatives, like digital and virtual fairs, but now we’re seeing a transition back towards major events. This highlights

essence of human innovation and interaction and we’re seeing now that as normalcy returns, they’re continuing their vital role in economic development on a global scale.

Have there been initiatives taken during

solutions they’re looking for online and recognise that they really need to be at physical trade fairs.

that you believe will stay, even in the years to come?

We also saw in June a very strong inclination toward participants attending shows domestically, where they felt safer.

But in the course of the last four months, we’ve seen that trend shift and now people are recognising that big global shows are important to them and they are now considering venturing out.

We understand the importance of staying connected with our customers, providing them with important business networking and knowledge sharing platforms, physically or virtually. We’ve therefore been very active in the digital space, and our live interactive webinars have engaged, educated, and informed.

Even with Covid-19, the global exhibition market size is expected to reach over USD50 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate of over 3% during the period 2019–2025.

From a regional perspective, the economic contribution of the MICE industry to Dubai, the UAE, and wider region is huge. Events at the Dubai World Trade Centre alone draw in more than 3.5 million visitors every year, the majority of who are international.

Aside from the purchasing power at trade fairs themselves, these visitors book most of Dubai’s plethora of retail, leisure, and entertainment options. It’s therefore imperative the sector has the support business returns post Covid-19.

And it’s not just about business. Human beings are by nature very sociable; we thrive on physical, face to face, personal communication. Trade fairs are the very

fair in September: Paperworld Middle East.

It was by all accounts, a big success, being

industry. The show hosted over 60 exhibitors from 25 countries and 1,304 visitors from over 100 countries across two days.

The augmentation of technology into the traditional exhibition environment has already been underway for some time now, but Covid-19 has no doubt advanced this progress. MFME is actively looking at how we can combine the best of the virtual and physical world to create dynamic hybrid exhibition models.

Moving forward, the hybrid format will become the norm now, but the virtual or digital aspect of exhibitions will simply be a value addition to the physical offering, not an alternative. I’m certain that when this current pandemic subsides, the appetite for real life physical exhibitions will be stronger than ever.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

INTERVIEW

Reimagining Luxury The Sustainabilist speaks to Salil Panigrahi, Managing Director, Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts in Maldives, on the importance of sustainability and water conservation in hotels

W

hat made you decide to operate Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts sustainably?

Sustainability has always been a priority for Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts (AH&R). The Maldives, by nature, is 90% water and 10 % land. It’s of absolute importance to conserve the natural resources and beauty we have, that makes the island archipelago the perfect beach destination with white sandy beaches, shades of green across the tropical vegetation and turquoise waters. Right from when AH&R was being conceptualised, and its properties were 37

being developed, sustainability was at the core of the planning. Additionally, as we know, in the Maldives, one island is one resort, it is almost as if you are overseeing the survival of an entire village, so we need to be conscious of our food stock, water resources, energy usage and so much more. By having the minimum possible negative impact on the local environment, we have and always will strive to meet the triple bottom line.

Luxury travel traditionally implies abundance and opulence. How do you reconcile sustainable ideas and practices with high-end luxury?

According to me, luxury and sustainability aren’t contrary to each other, they are very much in line.

Furthermore, ‘luxury’ the word in itself has a much broader meaning and is not necessarily associated with abundance and opulence. It’s personal and has a different meaning based on the individual. At Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, we associate it with the experience and lifestyle we represent.

We offer unparalleled comfort and hospitality and an additional value that guests to the Maldives normally do not experience: a fully hassle-free holiday with no hidden costs! In recent years, the spending and travel behaviour of high spenders is also witnessing a shift towards eco-conscious travel and a more aware consumption of luxury.

We applied for Green Globe certification for all our properties, which is the highest standard in tourism worldwide, to ensure that we can deliver luxury while adhering to best-in-class practices of sustainability.

We are honoured to have received the Green Globe certification for three of our resorts - OBLU Helengeli and OZEN by Atmosphere at Maadhoo in November 2019, and OBLU Select at Sangeli in January 2020. This is a great achievement for us, as the certification is designed specifically for the travel and tourism industry and is considered one of the first globally-operating programmes for the conservation of people and nature, with a local focus.

How is sustainability incorporated in the hotel’s daily operations?

We have a holistic approach to sustainability, where we have created a policy which defines and clearly

Issue 26 | November 2020

For example, we have recently added solar panels at OZEN by Atmosphere at Madhoo to supplement our electricity needs through sunlight, blessed in abundance by nature. The same will be followed across all our properties soon.

Additionally, we have recognised that waste management needs a significant overhaul, with an emphasis on the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle) and the immediate reduction of single-use plastics.

Our aim is to not only be at the forefront of sustainable tourism but also act as role models and provide frameworks for other organisations to follow.

Which of your efforts has the biggest impact on water sustainability at the Atmosphere Hotel & Resorts?

As part of our sustainability efforts, each of our properties has been equipped with its own EcoPure Waters bottling plant and purification system.

We use the abundant water resource surrounding us to provide for all our water needs, for guests and staff alike. Our desalination system makes seawater suitable for general use while our Reverse Osmosis (RO) purification

system produces drinking water. Every week, our team internally checks the viability and purity of the water, deeming it suitable for its purposes.

Every three weeks, a sample is sent to the mainland for external quality checks.

The brand places great significance on the quality, safety and sustainability of each aspect.

Through this initiative, the Group has eradicated the need to purchase singleuse plastic water bottles for guests externally, instead producing its own in high-quality reusable glass bottles.

Approximately 135,000 plastic bottles every month and over 1.5 million per annum are what we save through just this measure.

Additionally, wastewater from all over the properties are further collected, treated and reused for irrigation and to make it suitable to be let into the sea.

Thus, the cycle continues.

What would be your advice for hotels on how to promote sustainability initiatives, internally to suppliers and staff, and externally to guests and community?

Luxury and sustainability aren’t contrary to each other, they are very much in line.

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communicates our goals and objectives as they relate to the business, environmental, socio-cultural and economic performance. This goes beyond complying with all relevant legislation and regulations, and the idea is to integrate this into the dayto-day activities of our employees at all levels, by regular training and other activities. In fact, we have also created a team that is tasked with selection and identification of potential areas where we can implement positive change.

could help authenticate our efforts and commitment.

What are the biggest challenges you face in terms of water sustainability for the future?

The biggest challenge as an island nation would be the rising sea level due to global warming. Freshwater scarcity and rising salinity of water is also a challenge that we will be facing in the future.

As mentioned earlier, action would be the way to move forward. Practice what you preach, inspiring others to examine and follow suit. Additionally, social media and traditional media could play a significant role in communicating about the initiatives.

Having built the country on the back of being a luxury destination and containing each small coral island to a single resort, each resort is responsible for its own electricity, water and waste treatment.

Social pages can encourage consumers through visual and compelling content that hits the right chord, while traditional print media, across the Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C) titles,

This has greatly helped in outlining the need for sustainability right from the beginning and resorts are more and more aware of the imminent challenges and are altering choices to make more sustainable ones.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

FEATURE

How Soon Will We be Flying Emission Free?

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n September, the aerospace giant, Airbus revealed three concepts for the world’s first zero-emission commercial aircraft, which is expected to go into service by 2035.

commercial aviation sector as a whole and we intend to play a leading role in the most important transition this industry has ever seen. The concepts we unveil today offer the world a glimpse of our ambition to drive a bold vision for the future of zero-

denote a different approach to achieving zero-emission flights through a variety of sizes and styles but with each relying on hydrogen as the primary source of power, with the aim of creating potential for a decarbonised aviation industry.

Airbus CEO.

“This is a historic moment for the 39

As the first zero-emission commercial aircrafts, Airbus revealed the turbofan and the turboprop which have the designs of conventional commercial airplanes, while the blended-wing body gives a much more futuristic feel as the wings merge with the

main body of the aircraft.

The turboprop is designed with two modified turboprop hydrogen-powered gas-turbine engines that will carry up to 100 passengers and travel more than 1,000 nautical miles, making it a perfect option for short-haul trips.

The turbofan and winged-body designs, will instead have a higher passenger capacity of up to 200 and its range will be greater than 2,000 nautical miles.

Additionally, these will be powered by modified turbofan gas-turbine engines, also powered by hydrogen combustion,

Issue 26 | November 2020

Hydrogen is a promising fuel source that has been increasingly emerging given its higher density than batteries, making it optimal for the conventional payload and range of larger aircrafts. It is considered an alternative fuel whose energy density per unit mass is three times higher than traditional jet fuel. Sourcing hydrogen from low-carbon energy sources, such as wind or nuclear, will allow for the reduced production of greenhouse gases by aircrafts.

“I strongly believe that the use of hydrogen – both in synthetic fuels and as a primary power source for commercial aircraft – has the potential to significantly Faury.

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I strongly believe that the use of hydrogen - both in synthetic fuels and as a primary power source for commercial aircraft - has the potential to significantly reduce aviation’s climate impact.

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and the hydrogen would be stored and distributed from tanks located behind the aircraft’s rear pressure bulkhead.

As exciting as this may be, hydrogen as a fuel source also comes with challenges.

In order for aircrafts to be emission-free, the hydrogen used should be produced with renewable energy sources. Currently in the US, 95% of hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels by natural gas reforming in large central plants. Developing technologies to produce fuel through renewable energy sources will allow for tangible advances in a sustainable aviation industry.

Another challenge posed is the necessity for new infrastructure. As Mr Faury put it, “the transition to hydrogen, as the primary power source for these concept planes, will require decisive action from the require significant hydrogen transport and refuelling infrastructure to meet the needs of day-to-day operations.

Support from governments will be key to meet these ambitious objectives with increased funding for research and technology, digitalisation, and mechanisms that encourage the use of sustainable fuels and the renewal of aircraft fleets to allow airlines to retire older, less environmentally-friendly aircraft earlier. Mr Faury is hopeful that through joint support from industry partners and governments, renewable energy and hydrogen technologies will be scaled up to support a sustainable future of the aviation industry.

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FEATURE

Soaring High in the Cloud The GCC cloud market is expected to hit $2.3bn by 2024, Dubai Outsource City reveals

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ountries in the GCC are witnessing accelerated cloud adoption, aided by ongoing investment by cloud providers and the continued need for remote working arrangements, the International Data Corporation (IDC) revealed during a Dubai Outsource City event.

The GCC public cloud market is expected to more than double in value by 2024, growing from $956 million this year to $2.35 billion

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at a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25 per cent. discussion hosted by Dubai Outsource City, a business community supporting local and international outsourcing companies, which discussed the state of cloud adoption and data centre management in the region. The session was moderated by Harish Dunakhe, Research Director (Middle East, Turkey &

Africa for Software and Cloud) of the IDC, with Santiago Freitas, Head of Technology for the Middle East and Africa, Amazon Web Services (AWS); Tanya Koval, Head of Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure & Workplace, First Arab Bank (FAB); and Aleksander Andrijenko, Head of Infrastructure, DA-Desk forming the panel.

Issue 26 | November 2020

also contributing to Dubai’s vision to become one of the smartest, most future-

Cloud adoption in the region is “seeing to non-oil economies, young and dynamic populations that are digital natives, an active start-up community, and a drive to digitise

“democratises access to technology, so that anyone with an idea and a credit card can gain access to the same technology that

From an employer’s point of view, “cloud is a major disruptor in terms of how organisations are structured, blurring the lines between different operational Koval. “It allows more room for career

“

Ammar Al Malik, Managing Director, Dubai Outsource City, said: “During these exceptional times – when the vast majority of workers are collaborating across vast spaces, distances and time zones – cloud technologies become an unprecedented we are able to greatly simplify and

to build different skills at different stages of their careers. It’s also enabling more cohesive and collaborative conversations

For Andrijenko, the power of cloud can be seen in its ability to “turn big data leveraging the wealth of digital insights generated by greater data processing systems, companies can create strategies to drive themselves forward, increase commercial gains and expand their bottom line.

The IDC also found that 53% of Chief

said. He also noted that the shift to cloud

aiming to accelerate their existing digital transformation efforts to meet customer and business needs, whereas only 23% plan to slow down or stall these initiatives to focus on core IT tasks. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is forecast to spend the highest on enterprise IT in the GCC region this year, at USD5.8 billion, followed by the UAE in second with USD5.3 billion.

By eliminating the need to make upfront investments on physical infrastructure, and the speed of accessing servers, cloud computing enables businesses to go from idea to execution much quicker.

For startups and entrepreneurs, cloud

Dubai Outsource City regularly brings together key industry voices to share knowledge and insight on the rapidly evolving outsourcing landscape, and will be hosting another digital panel discussion soon.

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enterprise spending on information technology has remained subdued in general, several sub-markets within the sector have witnessed strong growth.

This trend was particularly highlighted in the Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, and Software as a Service segments, in which spending has grown by 32.7%, 32% and 24.1% respectively.

Although enterprise spending on information technology has remained subdued in general, several sub-markets within the sector have witnessed strong growth.

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FEATURE

The National Center of Meteorology Announces Targeted Research Areas for the UAE Rain Enhancement Program’s fourth cycle Projects The National Center of Meteorology updated Targeted Research Areas for the UAE Rain Enhancement Program focusing on innovation and emerging technologies

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he National Center of Meteorology (NCM) announced on 14 October the targeted research areas of the program's future awarded projects, the UAE Rain Enhancement Program’s (UAEREP) fourth cycle for proposal submission in early 2021.

Launched under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs in 2015, the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science supports innovative research and technology proposals that Science, particularly in arid regions.

international experts and scientists in atmospheric research and technologies, the updated research areas complement the existing ones and build on the program’s previous work. These areas were selected during the 4th cycle UAEREP solicitation workshop, based on the outputs of the 43

nine research projects awarded between 2015 and 2017, the 4th International Rain Enhancement Forum and the recommendations from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) expert meeting held in Geneva and the 4th cycle program solicitation workshop.

Al Mandous added: “Given the profound UAEREP aims to attract new researchers, technologists and entrepreneurs to further develop local and global capacity in this perspectives to rain enhancement research and support the development of demand-

His Excellency Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of NCM and President of the Regional Association II (Asia) of WMO, said: “In announcing the program’s updated targeted research areas, we are taking an important step in pushing forward the rain enhancement research to the next level of impact and sophistication. One important aspect of the new solicitation document will be its emphasis on the development and deployment of innovative technologies to foster future research in this emerging to address water-stress issues more effectively in line with the aspirations of our leadership, while enhancing the UAE’s position as a global hub for rain His Excellency Dr Abdulla Al Mandous

Issue 26 | November 2020

driven solutions that can address the most pressing water-security challenges in the

For her part, Alya Al Mazroui, Director of the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, said: “The research and scientists create unexplored avenues for generating new knowledge and innovation in rain enhancement science, while also building on the results and expertise gained over the program’s nine awarded projects between 2015 and 2017. This will help us direct our future research efforts towards areas with broader implications for arid regions to address their most pressing water

collaboration with our partners from leading international universities and research institutions, UAEREP will continue to identify high-impact research opportunities

the new direction set out by the solicitation document will help our scientists deliver better outcomes through their research

The updated research areas place high priority on emerging technologies and innovations to drive the development rain enhancement science. These areas include advances in weather modelling and ensemble modelling, evaluation of rain

Alya added: “Innovation is key to paving the way for further development of rain enhancement science. Through our close

of cloud chamber and use of randomised inputs in statistical methods, innovations in rain enhancement systems through

the integration of new measurement and numerical tools, and testing and leveraging several rain enhancement models.

In parallel, the program will continue to support previously targeted areas to help projects. Information about on-going projects funded by the program and their research areas can be found on the programme website at www.uaerep.ae.

Managed by National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the program aims to promote enhancement as well as stimulate the development and deployment of rain enhancement technologies, offering each winning research proposal a grant of up to USD 1.5 million distributed over three years with a maximum annual amount of USD 550,000.

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FEATURE

One Step Ahead Saudi companies lead the adoption of 5G for digital transformation, new Nokia research reveals

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okia recently launched a report titled ‘5G Business Readiness’ exploring the path of 5G deployment and the true value the technology will bring to the global economy in the wake of Covid-19, with a cross-industry view.

But what is 5G and how will it benefit businesses? 5G is the new generation of wireless connectivity that will revolutionise our experience of the connected world by unlocking a wave of innovation across all aspects of our lives. 5G is the technology providing the foundation for an array of disruptive technologies to reach maturity.

The development of 5G will produce the step-change in capacity, bandwidth, and 45

latency needed to catalyse a multitude of technological revolutions. The gradual innovations that have been emerging increasingly such as blockchain, augmented virtual reality, and AI, will witness their development accelerate rapidly through 5G. Experts predict we will enter the era of digital-by-default.

5G’s role in assisting companies to optimise their operations and drive innovation is evident, including their potential to leapfrog multiple stages of their digital transformation. Yet while 5G is ready for business, are businesses prepared to leverage this opportunity?

The new research by Nokia found that 5G-enabled industries have the potential

to deliver $8tn in value to the global economy by 2030. This impact of 5G on business and society was predicted based on aggregated regional forecasts of wage growth, profitability growth, and government revenue growth and their corresponding impact impressions from growing technology spend. The ‘5G Business Readiness’ report surveyed 5G maturity of companies in various sectors such as mining and energy, public safety, transportation and health, around the world.

Nokia’s study uncovered a gap between strategies and implementations as the survey results recorded that 86% of decision makers said they have some kind of strategy for 5G, while only 15% are

Issue 26 | November 2020

The outcome of the report identified that the majority of companies worldwide are at an intermediate point between the initial planning stage (50% of companies surveyed in Nokia’s 5G Business Readiness Model stated they are in this stage), the implementation stage (26% of respondents), and the mature stage (7% of companies are expanding their deployments, meaning that they have started to leverage 5G).

One of the countries which the report found to have a solid potential for 5G is Saudi Arabia. In fact, 13% of organisations in the Kingdom are rated as 5G mature, which is one percentage point higher than that of the United States. This means that the Saudi organisations have deployed and are planning to expand their 5G networks. Overall, 47% of technology decision makers reported having a long term 5G strategy.

The report further lists significant variations by sector in terms of 5G maturity. Globally, those with the highest maturity are healthcare (10%), manufacturing (9%), and energy and utilities (7%), while 94% in transportation and 93% in mining sectors are currently investing or have plans to invest in 5G. For Saudi Arabia, these industries could drive the next level of 5G adoption towards contributing to the realisation of the Saudi Vision 2030.

Also, it was observed that companies have accelerated digital investment as their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than stepping back from technology investment in the wake of the pandemic, most companies have strengthened it. 56% of decision makers

surveyed in Saudi Arabia as part of Nokia’s research said they had accelerated their digital transformation programmes as a result of COVID-19.

The report also highlights a clear correlation between 5G deployment and business performance. Companies at an advanced level of 5G adoption were the only group to experience a

13% of organisations in the Kingdom are rated as 5G mature, which is one percentage point higher than that of the United States.

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currently investing in its implementation.

net increase in productivity (+10%) following COVID-19, and the only group able to maintain or increase customer engagement during the pandemic.

Bernard Najm, Head of the Saudi Arabia Market Unit at Nokia, said: “The new study underlines that 5G adoption has clearly fueled business success in Saudi Arabia. Companies that have embraced 5G stand to benefit from advantages that go way beyond faster, more efficient and reliable network services. Moreover, the biggest challenges we face as a society – from climate change to the pandemic – can be better tackled through use of the data and technologies that 5G will

More interesting findings

54%

respondents said they have their CXOs support for 5G implementation in their organisation

65%

New sales opportunities (65%) and improved data management (61%) are the top 2 impacts of 5G for those who have already invested in 5G

2/3

of technology buyers (65%) are planning to invest more in 5G than they did in 3G/4G technology 46

The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

Jennifer Motles FEATURE

Our World is not an Ashtray The Sustainabilist spoke with two key decision makers at Philip Morris International (PMI) about their sustainability strategies, and the future of smoking

How has PMI incorporated sustainability in its business strategy and what have the results achieved been so far?

While Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) is widely known as a cigarette company, in 2016 it announced its new purpose: to deliver a smoke-free future by focusing its resources on developing, scientifically substantiating, and responsibly commercialising smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke that are less harmful than smoking. The aim is now to completely replace cigarettes as soon as possible.

For PMI, exemplary performance on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues is important, but it is equally clear that the biggest positive impact PMI can have on society and to be a truly sustainable company is to replace cigarettes with less-harmful alternatives. This is at the very core of our corporate strategy and sits atop our sustainability priorities. In 2016, the company introduced a set of bespoke KPIs, referred to as Business Transformation Metrics.

These allow stakeholders to transparently assess, measure, and verify the steps we’re taking to achieve our purpose of delivering a world without cigarettes.

As part of this transformation, we developed a strategic, cohesive, and forward-looking corporate sustainability strategy situating product transformation at the core, while integrating other material social and environmental topics.

Sustainability has become a cross-functional theme affecting the work PMI’s entire value chain – starting with the way we source tobacco and other materials, addressing and mitigating human rights risks, our manufacturing operations, the circularity and eco-design of our products, ending with the way we commercialise our products and

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Issue 26 | November 2020

reduce post-consumer waste and litter.

In 2019, we continued to assess and mitigate environmental risks and impacts across our value chain, resulting in a 42% absolute reduction of CO2e compared to the 2010 baseline.

Additionally, 72% of electricity used and purchased within our factories was from renewable sources and we have committed to achieving carbon neutrality in our direct operations by 2030 and across the company’s entire value chain by 2050.

We continued to focus on the well-being of our tobacco farming communities and in 2019 did not find any incidents of child labor in over 99% of the more than 300,000 tobacco farms monitored. We aim to have zero child labour in our tobacco supply chain, including by ensuring that 100% of contracted tobacco farmers make a living income, by 2025.

What is the difference between a sustainability and an integrated report, and what was the reason behind PMI’s decision to create the first integrated report this year?

PMI’s evolution from sustainability reporting to integrated reporting helps investors make the connection between our product-focussed sustainability initiatives, which form the core of our ESG strategy, and our financial performance over time.

The report also enables the company’s stakeholders to better evaluate the company’s progress in achieving its purpose.

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In 2019, we continued to assess and mitigate environmental risks and impacts across our value chain, resulting in a 42% absolute reduction of CO2e

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Our Integrated Report 2019 offers a comprehensive review of PMI’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, while demonstrating the company’s meaningful progress toward delivering a smoke-free future. Furthermore, the report shows PMI’s approach and important progress in various ESG areas, while setting new and ambitious targets for 2025 that complement the company’s prior aspirations.

The Integrated Report also highlights the company’s most material sustainability topics, including the health impacts of the company’s products, an aspect often not captured by external ESG assessments. Focusing on this key area, the report describes how the company is working to reduce the harm caused by smoking by replacing combustible products with scientifically substantiated better alternatives.

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The Sustainabilist | AVIATION

Tarkan Demirbas,

Area Vice President Middle East

What can you tell us about the “Our World is Not an Ashtray” campaign and will it reach the UAE? to raise awareness and drive change in behavior and attitudes around cigarette butt littering and, ultimately, make cigarette butt littering a thing of the past. It supports our litter reduction target described in our 2019 Integrated Report of a 50% reduction of plastic litter from our products by 2025 (versus a 2021 baseline).

In a recent survey commissioned by Philip Morris in the UAE and conducted independently by a well-known global research data and insights company, 69% of adult smokers who participated in this study described throwing cigarette butts on the ground as an existing habit. These findings highlight the need for awareness change smokers’ behavior and I’m glad to announce that we have plans to launch it in the UAE as well.

We also need scientists and other experts to support the effort by providing accurate information to the public about the relative risks of these products versus continued smoking.

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72% of electricity used and purchased within our factories was from renewable sources and we have committed to achieving carbon neutrality in our direct operations by 2030

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What are the smoking habits in the UAE and do you believe that the country is on track to a smoke-free future?

UAE adult smokers are looking for a better, innovative alternative to cigarettes. The Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) was the first government agency in the GCC to regulate electronic nicotine products, which shows in our view UAE’s progressive attitude to providing residents with better alternatives to cigarettes and fighting low-quality products. We find this to be a very important step in setting the right regulatory framework to ensure companies adhere to best practices and comply with local legislation with the adult consumers of these products in mind, particularly as alternative forms of nicotine consumption are being recognised in other global markets.

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