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The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has announced the relaunch of the groundbreaking Carbon Calculator tool, which measures the carbon footprint of Dubai’s hospitality industry.
The tool has been enhanced to track real-time data on carbon emission sources, allowing hotels to identify and effectively manage their energy consumption.
The improvements are part of the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) initiative, which aims to contribute to broader clean energy goals and support the UAE’s 2050 Net Zero Emissions Strategy, in line with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) . The initiative also supports the goals of Dubai Economic Agenda D33, strengthening Dubai’s position as one of the top three global cities and enhancing its position as one of the world’s leading sustainable tourism destinations.
Since its inception in January 2017, the Carbon Calculator for Sustainable Tourism in Dubai has been measuring the carbon footprint of hotels in Dubai as part of the Tourism Dirhams platform. Hotels must submit their monthly consumption of nine sources of carbon emissions, including: electricity, water, district cooling, liquefied petroleum gas, landfill waste, recycling waste, petrol, diesel and refrigerant.
This information is aggregated and analyzed to provide valuable industry insights into the industry’s collective carbon footprint. Additionally, by establishing a baseline and consistent tracking, this information enables hotels to understand their energy, water and waste consumption and further identify successful cost-saving opportunities.
The data provided helps hotels and resorts implement initiatives to effectively manage their carbon footprints against 19 sustainability requirements designed to benchmark and harmonize environmental practices for hotels in Dubai. The 19 sustainability requirements include sustainable management approaches, performance metrics, energy, food and water management programs, guest education, employee training programs, the presence of sustainability committees within the hotel establishment, and corporate social responsibility programs for local communities.
By improving internal sustainability operations, the hospitality establishment will in turn increase the competitiveness of Dubai’s tourism-related economy.
Yousuf Lootah, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Corporate Strategy and Performance, Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai, said: “We are delighted to re-launch the Carbon Calculator as part of our ongoing commitment to support the UAE’s 2050 Net Zero Strategy, in line with Dubai Economic Agenda D33. The upgraded platform also further aligns with the UAE’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially as the city ramps up its preparations to host the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) this year.”
Lootah added: “As DET continues to strive to further strengthen its services to stakeholders and partners, the improved carbon calculator will provide a user-friendly experience for hotels and enable them to make informed decisions. By tracking Energy consumption, the data provides a baseline for DET to develop strategies for the industry so that hotels and resorts can effectively manage impacts, improve efficiency in managing carbon resources and identify potential energy saving opportunities. In addition to supporting hotels and resorts within urban tourism ecosystems , the plan also has a larger goal: to create the world’s most visited city, the best place to live and work in, as envisioned in Dubai’s 2040 urban master plan.”
“Sustainable Tourism in Dubai” Course
In addition to relaunching the carbon calculator, Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) and Dubai School of Sustainable Tourism (DST) have also upgraded the ‘Sustainable Tourism in Dubai’ course on Dubai Way, DCT’s innovative learning platform. The course provides a broad education and awareness program for those in visitor-facing roles across the tourism ecosystem.
Newly launched modules include educational sections focusing on carbon calculators, water and energy conservation, how to build a “green team” and implement a green procurement strategy.
The course reflects the power of education to drive sustainable tourism and encourage the implementation of environmental practices, while empowering participants with the knowledge to successfully implement ESG principles in the tourism and hospitality industry, creating a network of sustainability champions. – trade arab news agency
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