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Interview: Khaled Al Huraimel
How has Sharjah’s drive for environmental sustainability evolved during the Covid-19 pandemic and how can it contribute to environmental recovery?
KHALED AL HURAYMEL: Since 2010, Sharjah has prioritized waste management and environmental sustainability. Today, these policies are evolving to include air quality, energy efficiency, healthcare technology, sustainable transport and digitalisation. Thanks to the policies previously put in place, Bee’ah – a public-private partnership company – was able to act quickly and lead a national program to disinfect public areas, as well as implement a telework system across the country. Sharjah’s environmental sustainability initiatives further support ecological restoration. Bee’ah has continued to push the environmental agenda during the pandemic, creating new recycling and zero-waste facilities. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years. Sharjah has already achieved a waste diversion rate of 76%, the highest in the Middle East. The Sharjah waste-to-energy plant – a joint venture between Bee’ah and Masdar through the Emirates Waste to Energy Company – will help Sharjah achieve 100% waste diversion when it becomes operational in 2021, with no waste in landfills .
To what extent has the pandemic affected sustainable environmental policies?
AL HURAYMEL: The pandemic has led to a greater need for resilience. Above all, the health crisis has highlighted the importance of keeping our cities clean and hygienic and has reminded us of the utility of the digital sector, which is now central to our professional and personal activities. The latter has proven to be essential for achieving a sustainable and circular economy. At Bee’ah, we believe that sustainability and digitization are the foundations of the modern economy. Public outreach and involvement is key, so in 2010 we launched the Bee’ah School of Environment, a project that works with schools to raise awareness and conduct outreach programs for public education.
What can be done to ensure that improvements in air quality do not come at the expense of industry?
AL HURAYMEL: There are seven air quality monitoring stations in Sharjah under the management of Bee’ah’s consultancy and research department. The results show an improvement of up to 60% in air quality during the worst months of the pandemic. Transportation has a significant impact on air quality, and for companies like Bee’ah with strong transportation components, it will be necessary to invest in technologies that allow us to continue to conduct business activities while maintaining minimal environmental impacts. Making the company’s fleet cleaner is essential and as such we are working to electrify our fleet in the short term and develop sustainable transport solutions. To this end, in 2018 Bee’ah launched ION, a sustainable transport company as a joint venture with UAE-based Crescent Enterprises. ION aims to create green mobility solutions and multimodal, intercity transport networks for a more sustainable quality of life.
Where do you find environmental management opportunities in the MENA region?
AL HURAYMEL: The opportunities are huge in the MENA region and the key will be to replicate regionally what has been successful locally. Saudi Arabia and Egypt prioritize waste management, sustainability and digital transformation. Bee’ah is present in these markets with projects in Medina and the new administrative capital of Egypt. Regional governments, municipalities and communities know the importance of accelerating the digital agenda to promote a sustainable environment and circular economy. Being at the center of these trends will inevitably bring more opportunities for companies to grow.
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