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As one of the first Accredited Professionals for this globally recognised digital connectivity and smart building certification, AESG will help building owners create smart, connected buildings that support enhanced digital experiences for occupants
The Saudi British Bank has been awarded “Best Bank for Sustainable Finance in Saudi Arabia” for the year 2022 by Global Finance magazine, as part of its annual Excellence Awards, which honour the best financial institutions globally.
The inclusion of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank in the latest consortium deal has sealed worth $480 million to fund green initiatives in Saudi Arabia.
ADIB is slated to contribute $61 million of the total amount in its first-ever financing of green projects in the Kingdom, it said in a statement. This will give further impetus to the treatment of wastewater.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is focussed on ensuring a safe environment for the future with several carbon emission reduction initiatives progressing steadily in the Kingdom.
The National Center for the Development of Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Strategic Office for the Development of Al-Baha region which includes areas of cooperation and understanding stipulated in the MoU including various topics regarding Al-Baha region such as vegetation development projects.
The MoU also focuses on creating an attractive investment environment that contributes to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the SGI.
The 17th Everything About Water Expo 2022 was inaugurated by Ambassador of Israel in India Naor Gilon at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi to strengthen the cooperation between Israel and India in the water sector and the longstanding ties between the two nations.
Ambassador Gilon said, “We are happy to bring 4 Israeli water experts as speakers in this Water Expo. They took part in a conference, where they shared their experience and technical know-how about advanced technologies and Israel-India partnership in the field of water. The visit of these water experts to India, to take part in this Water Expo, has further deepened the ongoing water partnership between our two countries.”
An international conference on innovative and sustainable water and environmental technologies has been launched at the Water Expo in which four high-level water experts from Israel participated where experts shared their knowledge and expertise in a session about India-Israel water partnership.
Another highlight of the event was the inauguration of an Israeli pavilion, which showcased cutting-edge water technologies of 8 leading Israeli water companies who introduced solutions related to water distribution and management, filtration, leak detection, wastewater treatment, desalination and water security.
Moreover, the importance of the water partnership between Israel and India can be understood from the fact that both countries signed two major water agreements to increase cooperation in water conservation and state water utility reform during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel in 2017.
India is the only country wherein Israel has the position of Water Attache to help share Israeli best practices and technologies for advancements in India’s water management sector.
UAE’s ILT20, with the full support of its Franchise owners, sponsors, and stakeholders, remains unwaveringly committed to grow the game at the domestic level, identify new talent, provide opportunities to excel, and make the game sustainable.
These are Members who can afford the luxury of funding from the sport’s governing body – the International Cricket Council (where, comparatively, UAE receives less than one-eighth of what a Full Member receives) as well afford the luxury of time to implement structures to build a strong domestic pool
A leading ICC Associate Member, the UAE is considered a ‘Land of Opportunity’ where an estimated ten million people work, play, and call home (which, of this estimate, close to nine million are expatriates), the UAE has embraced this diverse diaspora and strives to provide those who display sporting talent with the opportunity to rub-shoulders and learn from the best in the game today. This mind-set, and walk the talk attitude is paramount to growth and sustainability.
The ILT20 is an innovative, progressive model aimed at providing those who display talent and commitment with opportunity to excel at its heart, and not be suffocated nor monopolized by the position of others within the game today. Emirates Cricket’s Domestic Calendar already boasts a strong, domestic pathway for its domiciled, eligible players to take the next step onto the world-stage.
With the understanding that two UAE-developed players will be in each franchisee’s playing XI, UAE’s academies and Councils – Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Dubai, Ajman and those with close to and strong affiliations with the administrators of the game (in the UAE) have put forward their chosen domestic-players for consideration. This is not isolated to the UAE, where other Associate Members are in talks with the League’s Administrators and Franchise owners to include their proven talent in the competition.
ILT20 remains committed to creating a sustainable – development and financial – model and future for the growth of the Associate Member, and those that need to look beyond the ICC-funding fallback. Only through exposing international-standard players, experts and sports administrators to such initiatives will cricket be allowed to flourish.
In 2021 green finance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region grew faster than the rest of the world. In the first six months, issuances of green and sustainability-linked debt amounted to $6.4 billion, outstripping the global growth rate, and more than a third higher than total 2020 volumes. 2022 however, is entirely different. The market is down.
The total value of green bonds in the MENA region in the first-half of 2022 was approximately $2.05 billion, and sustainability-linked loans $1.25 billion, according to Bloomberg’s Capital Markets League Tables, significantly down on the same period of last year but not without notable transactions.
Aluminium Bahrain’s $1.247 billion sustainability-linked loan has leveraged its participation in the green finance market, while UAE companies were once again the region’s most active, with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) making three green bond issuances totalling $788 million and Sweihan PV Power issuing one of $700.8 million.
The trend overall for the start of 2022, however, has been downwards. The reasons for the MENA dip lie outside of the region in geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, rising interest rates and increasing oil prices. The downward trend in the MENA region also reflects the global picture for green and sustainability-linked debt in the first-half of the year. Globally, the most affected form of green finance in the first-half has been sustainability-linked loans, which are down approximately 12.5 percent. Green bonds have been less affected, slipping only 3.2 per cent while continuing to attract significant interest, including two more issuances by the European Union following its 2021 debut.
Looking forward, the global market for green and sustainability-linked debt could reach $15 trillion by 2025 as the world keeps pushing towards net-zero.
The MENA region has the potential to make an important contribution, particularly with COP27 and COP28 taking place in Egypt and the UAE. The government is preparing to issue its first green bond in Saudi Arabia in 2022.
In this region, the spotlight will focus on how companies and governments are helping to build a more sustainable future, with both consumers and investors likely to advocate more loudly for them to meet their existing commitments and accelerate the pace of change.
The Qatar Airways latest sustainability venture is worth appreciation.
The IEnvA programme that has been prepared for ground service provides a framework for achieving environmental sustainability across all ground operations. Taking advantage of the knowledge and experience garnered from the airline programme, ground service providers can use its definitive guidance to reduce their environmental impact and improve health and safety for both employees and the community while maintaining operational efficiency.
Electrolux and Solarizeegypt have signed an agreement in line with the Egyptian government’s efforts to transform to clean energy and attain long-term sustainable development.
“This agreement complements our company’s efforts in transitioning into a more sustainable facility. Thus, implementing solar power plants for clean and renewable energy is an appropriate solution to achieve our goal,” Maysam El Hennawy, CEO of Electrolux Egypt, said.