UAE, Netherlands to promote sustainability

Dubai - The Netherlands will use Expo 2020 as a platform to showcase home-grown innovations

The UAE and Netherlands are exploring many ventures to promote sustainability that will, in turn, help the UAE to achieve food security, water security, clean energy and a sustainable future, among other benefits, said Hans Sandee, Netherlands' Consul-General to Dubai and Commissioner-General of the Netherlands Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Currently, there are about 350 Dutch firms operational in the UAE and this number is expected to rise. "The UAE is actively promoting sustainability and this is evident from the just concluded Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The awareness is huge and this affirms a national commitment to its citizens to provide a better and healthy future," added Sandee.

The Netherlands - 'Uniting Water, Energy and Food'
The Netherlands will use Expo 2020 as a platform to showcase home-grown innovations that can be applied in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region to help create a greener, more sustainable future. Inspired by the theme of 'Uniting Water, Energy and Food', the Dutch pavilion will house a 'miniature world' - or biotope - in which precious natural resources will be intrinsically linked and the climate will be naturally controlled.
A giant cone-like structure covered with plants will form the centrepiece of the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2020. The building will use this 'vertical farm' and other sustainable technologies to produce water, energy and food, while its circular climate system will deliver an intense sensory experience for visitors.
Located in Expo 2020's Sustainability Thematic District, the pavilion aims to shed light on a number of global issues, including water scarcity, food security and rising energy demands. The building itself will be made from locally sourced construction materials, minimising the environmental impact of transportation. Its interiors will be fitted out with rented elements, which can be returned or reused on other projects post the Expo. - sandhya@khaleejtimes.com