November 2011

BRING YOUR RECYCLABLES: Every SATURDAY, 8:30AM to 3:00PM. Villa No. JMR. 68, Jumeirah 1, Between Dubai Zoo and Beach Centre. For more info, call EEG at 04 344 8622, or email eeg@emirates.net.ae.

Editorial Team: Priyanka Menon, Moayad Yacoub, Ruth Bibby, Jo Escutin, Maria Reyes, Roopa, Jefferson Balisi

Inside this issue:CHAIRPERSON’S NOTE 2EEG NEWS 3-4CORPORATE NEWS / CAMPUS NEWS 4-5 LOCAL NEWS 6INTERNATIONAL NEWS 7UN GLOBAL COMPACT NEWS 8OUTREACH AND MEMBERS UPDATE 9MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT 10

JOIN EEG’S recycling campaigns

contact us at 04 3448622 or email eeg@emirates.net.ae or visit www.eeg-uae.org, join us also@facebook.com/eeg.uae

ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION

EEG is proud to endorse and be an Environmental Partner of the ABC Expo 2012

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Mrs. Nafeesa Ahmed9th Community Lecture

Healthy Diet - Sustainable Environment

Elisabeth Harstad10th Community LectureTechnology Outlook 2020

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November 2011

WELCOME TO EEG’S NOVEMBER EDITION OF THE NEWSLETTER!

A very warm & blessed Eid Al Adha to all our member & supporters.

What a fantastic month this has been for EEG! With most organizations wrapping up their programs for the year, EEG is busy striding forward with an amazingly busy month just gone by and two more coming up! The summer lull is a dot in the distance and for some time now it has been full steam ahead for EEG with its most popular events and campaigns.

The major EEG event this month was without a doubt the Student’s Workshop. This annual event was based on a theme extremely relevant to the UAE and other countries in the Middle East - ‘Sustainable Cities: Healthy Life.’ The 3-day programme covered different age groups each day and was organized at the Rashid School for Boys Dubai to help raise academic awareness on a topic that is critical to maintain harmony between our built environment and our living standards. It was great to see enthusiastic young minds working on real global issues and was also clear that through their education, the media, campaigns and events like EEG’s, their knowledge base on environmentalism is growing. This is encouraging, but also means EEG has to be dynamic and continue to evolve with their young minds, so they are continuously stretched.

I was also invited to give a presentation to Al Multaqa graduates in an event organized by Du at their headquarters this month. It was a wonderful experience and as I say at the end of every interaction I have with young graduates, it gives me great calm and peace to know that we are leaving the world in capable hands. Among the bustling activities, I was able to make a trip to Sudan where I was invited by the Dal Group to meet environmentalists and present the story of EEG to them.

Out of the major events coming up in the next two months, one that is definitely being awaited is the 11.11.11 campaign that will be held at the EPAA Sharjah on the 11th of November as the name of the Campaign suggests. Participants will plant a tree in their name in the park in return for the prescribed amounts of recyclables collected by them. This is a sequel to the very successful campaign we held in 2010 in the month of October – the 10.10.10 Campaign.

We are working hard towards the Inter College Public Speaking Competition, which will be held from the 28th to 29th of November 2011. We look forward to hearing from universities across the GCC to participate in this regional educational event!

The other campaign coming up is easily one of the most popular as well as effective in the country – the CleanUp UAE Campaign. This year, we are looking at a participation of over 25,000 people – a feat we have never accomplished before! Last year, EEG, along with its supporters, participants and sponsors, was successful in the collection of a massive 100 tons of waste – a true milestone that could not have been possible without the participation of the 20,000 members of the society as well as the support of the government bodies in each of the Emirates.

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CHAIRPERSON’S NOTE

This 10th anniversary of the Clean Up UAE Campaign is meant to offer a deeper meaning and impact to the UAE society. The year 2011 has been dotted with major natural disasters around the world – be it the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami, New Zealand Christchurch Earthquake, Hailstorm in China, Floods in Australia or Tornadoes in Iowa – this is a clear indication that we cannot take our environment for granted anymore! It is time that we take responsibilities for our actions and work towards preservation rather than destruction.

EEG’s sister organization, the Arabia CSR Network, has been hard at work with the recent organization of two major events – the CSR seminar with the Swedish Trade Council and the Arabia CSR Awards 2011 Forum & Ceremony. The corporate world has certainly gleamed in the spotlights as they showcased their best CSR practices at the Arabia CSR Network’s Annual Awarding Ceremony. The Forum was an exclusive one with high profile international, regional and local speakers providing their perspectives on the major theme of the day, “A Sustainability Spring in Arabia.”

Thus, EEG is looking forward to the two months ahead of us and we hope you will participate with us enthusiastically. Here’s to a beautiful month of November!

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November 2011EEG NEWS

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Emirates Environmental Group in collaboration with Bank Sarasin-Alpen and Alpen Capital celebrated the beginning of the new academic year by planting more indigenous trees in UAE, Qatar and Bahrain in support of EEG’s Million Tree Campaign. As a part of their commitment to give back to the community they operate in, Bank Sarasin-Alpen and Alpen Capital came aboard the Million Tree Campaign bandwagon by sponsoring the planting of 40 trees to across 3 countries in the GCC. Little Flower English School, one of EEG’s Academic Member was the happy recipient of 20 indigenous trees and planted in their school grounds. The tree planting program was headed by EEG’s Executive Committee Member, Mr. Ali Ibrahim and accompanied by the hard working company officials, with the senior management from Bank Sarasin-Alpen and Alpen Capital alongside the students.Mr. Ali Ibrahim, EEG Executive Committee Member said -“The Million Tree Campaign is continuing in the years to come as an ongoing commitment to UNEP and as part of our long term goal to ensure that small but practical steps are taken to join the global effort of expanding the carbon sinks in the UAE as well as to support our cause of preserving and protecting our ecosystem. EEG is pleased to join hands with Bank Sarasin-Alpen and Alpen Capital to spread the sustainable green patch in the UAE and the region.” So far EEG has brought together numerous corporate organisations and schools to plant trees for the latter that are committed to the cause of environmental protection and preservation.

EEG is accredited to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) governing Council. Tree planting is a part of EEG’s commitment to the UNEP’s Billion Tree programme, wherein EEG had pledged 1 million indigenous trees to be planted in UAE in the year 2007. EEG surpassed its target by successfully coordinating, facilitating and overseeing the planting of 2,091,066 million indigenous trees in the UAE and the neighbouring countries since its inception.

The EEG Chairperson, Mrs. Habiba Al Marashi and EEG Committee Member, Ms Sara Baker attended the Regional Major Groups and Stakeholders Consultation in Preparation for the Rio+20 Summit in 2012. The conference took place in Dubai on the 9th-10th October 2011 at the Coral Deira in the commercial hub of the city. On the first day delegates were warmly welcomed in an opening session, which was followed, by the ‘Role of Major Groups and Stakeholders in Sustainable Development’. This session looked at the global perspectives of civil society and how major groups can be involved in

the Rio+20 process. Challenges and opportunities for greater civil society engagement in sustainable development in the West Asia Region were also discussed in addition to the Preparatory Process so far. Emerging issues and the findings of the GEO5 process were reviewed in the next panel session, which was followed by an update on the Eye on Earth Summit. The major themes for Rio+20 were introduced and examined in detail. These consisted of the Green Economy and Environmental Governance. Day 2 of the conference saw the formation of ‘working groups’ to allow active participation and open discussions. Feedback sessions were incorporated to allow working groups to deliver their thoughts and ideas on how to increase engagement in green economy initiatives and how civil society organisations can further engage in the institutional frameworks for sustainable development. At the end of the meeting representatives from the West Asia Region were elected to participate in UNEP’s Governing Council Conference in 2012.

EEG attend UNEP Consultation Meeting in Preparation for Rio +20

EEG Chairperson, Mrs. Habiba Al Marashi, was invited to give a presentation to Al Multaqa graduate students at the Du headquarters in Dubai on 6th October 2011. She provided a brief history of the EEG, her journey to being a leading environmentalist in the region as well as why it is so important to care for the environment. She explained to the students

that they are at the threshold of their lives – young adults who are going to take their first steps into the big world. They must, thus, be prepared for the future - a future where they need to work for their livelihood, be responsible and most of all, be brave! After providing a brief of EEG, she went on to talk about the importance of sustainability in the Arab world. Sustainability is the focus of the Arabia CSR Network, the sister organization of the EEG, and was an area of interest for the students. She also talked about the other initiatives of the organization such as the Arabia CSR Awards as well as the launch of the recent Arabia CSR Best Practices 2008-2010 publication.

EEG Presents to graduates at event organized by Du

EEG’s Tree Planting Goes Regional Supported by Bank Sarasin - Alpen

EEG Chairperson, was invited to Sudan by the Dal Group at the begining of october to give presentations to their members and other companies operating in the country on the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability. Her presentations included a keen focus on the innate need for sustainability and ‘green’ living in the region, which comprised thorough waste management and recycling. She went on to explain the various initiatives of EEG, which were very well received by the attendees. Mrs. Al Marashi was invited to visit a university where she encouraged the students to pursue

critical thinking, proactive behavior and be responsible for the environment around them. She also spoke to them about the importance of taking up a career in environmental sciences and conservation, which is a need of the hour. She was also invited to an international school where she explained to the primary grade students the importance of reducing consumption of resources, segregating waste and waste management. Mrs. Al Marashi visited the Dal Group greenhouse and farm, which provided all the vegetables and products for their canteens. EEG commends Dal Group for such an excellent move to provide organic, fresh products for their use. EEG is thankful to Sayga (part of the Dal Group) for inviting us and providing us with such a unique platform to interact with like-minded organizations from Sudan.

EEG’S Visit to the Dal Group in Sudan

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EEG NEWS

The annual series of Students’ Workshop on ‘Sustainable Cities; Healthy Life’ was held from October 17-19, 2011. The goal was to provide students with information on the initiatives that can be undertaken to achieve a sustainable city by protecting and preserving the basic elements of sustainability; Air, Water, Energy, Land, Food and Waste. The 3-day workshop catered to three different age groups: the 10-12 years group of Juniors, the 13–15 years, Sub-Seniors and the 16 -18 years, Seniors. Rashid School for Boys supported the workshop again this year, by offering their venue and catering. Imdaad came on board as the Main Sponsor of the Workshop. The event had the support of Al Safi Club for Friends of the Environment and ‘Every Drop Matters’, an initiative from The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Coca Cola. Mrs. Habiba Al Marashi, Chairperson of EEG, welcomed the audience consisting of students and supporting teachers saying that due to the rapid advent of globalization, urban settlements have transformed into major consumers of goods and services that drain natural resources. Today, major cities across the world are under pressure of degradation, as a result of which we may face problems in the supply of clean water, adequate waste management, efficient transportation and other necessities for decent living.The workshop hosted a group of speakers from diverse backgrounds and expertise in the field of sustainable development. Speakers, Mr. Doug Cook, the First Secretary, Energy and Climate Change, British Embassy, Eng. Yousuf Mohammed Al Ali, Executive Director of Dubai Taxi Agency, Dr. Ryan Penny, specialist nutritionalist, Eng. Hassan Mohammed Makki, Director of the Drainage and Irrigation Network, Dubai Municipality, Ulrike Vott of Nokia, Mr. Hazem El Mahi, MD, Relief Avenue, Mr. Sarfraz Dairkee, Sustainability Engineer, , Ms. Shirin Bseiso, DEWA, and Mrs. Nafeesa Ahmed, specialists in Nutrition & Dietetics and Mr. Youshey Zakiuddin, Arabia CSR Network - covered the various elements of Sustainability with their presentations and interactive Q&A sessions. The school community; Mrs. Sheela Anand, Delhi Private School, Sharjah and EEG student members, Ms. Kehkashan Basu and Ms. Simran Vedvyas inspired the audience with their visions of their ‘Dream City’.

The activities of the workshop were designed to engage student communities and drive their active involvement on individual and community-based programmes that are aimed at preventing environmental degradation.The workshop was attended by 461 students and 96 teachers from 97 schools across the UAE. The students were asked to rate the workshops on parameters, Topic, Content, Visuals and Speakers. A whopping 88% rated the Visuals as Excellent, and while majority rates the others as Excellent and Very Good. Majority of the Teachers rated the Topic, Venue and EEG’s support, ‘Excellent’. To quote a few, topics of the workshops were very “relevant and interesting”, contents of the workshop were very educational and learning methodologies were very effective, “just perfect for the age group”. The rating reflected the expertise of EEG in designing and managing capacity building programmes for budding environmental custodians. The Closing ceremony of the Students’ Workshop was held on October 19th. Mrs. Habiba Al Marashi reflected on the importance of embracing sustainable lifestyles and doing proactive initiatives to making our city a sustainable one. She also thanked the respective institution for the venue and the logistics and the sponsoring organizations for their generous contribution. Commemorative crystals were presented to the sponsors for their contribution to the program and their support to the environmental cause through the vehicle of education. The speakers were presented with crystals and EEG youth members with framed certificates for their contribution. The ceremony concluded with the awarding of certificates of participation to the students.

LAUNCH OF NEW ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN 2011 Under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Maitha Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State - Chairman of the Marriage Fund, and in collaboration with EEG and the UAE Genetic Diseases Association, the second environmental health campaign of 2011 was launched to promote sustainable development in the UAE. The Campaign was launched under the slogan “Protection of My Family, My Responsibility”. The campaign launch was attended by Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Midfa and Ms. Sara Baker, Executive Committee members of EEG, along with Ms. Habiba Issa Al Hosni, Acting Director General of the Marriage Fund and Dr. Mariam Matar, Founder and Chairman of UAE Genetic Diseases Association. The aim of the campaign is to intensify awareness and guidance programs and work towards raising awareness of social, environmental and health among all spectrums of the UAE on various issues of concern to the family and society. During the conference, Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Midfa commended the constructive cooperation between civil society institutions in implementing environmental programs and activities for environmental awareness. He stressed on the importance of reducing the amount of waste generated as an effective means of protecting the environment and working on building a database that gathers various environmental data and information accessible to individuals and institutions. He also mentioned the importance of exchanging information, experience and educational methods, while encouraging the support of experts from the public and private sectors in environmental issues.

STUDENT WORKSHOP

ARABIA CSR NETWORK, EMBASSY OF SWEDEN AND SWEDISH TRADE COUNCIL ORGANIZE CSR SEMINAR

A day-long seminar was held by the Arabia CSR Network on Sunday, 23rd October 2011 in Dubai, in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden and the Swedish Trade Council, and with the support of the Jumeirah Emirates Towers. The event, titled ‘CSR: Building Bridges for a Sustainable Future’, focused on comparative learning within CSR where expertise and business cases were shared from both the UAE and Sweden. Speaking at the event was the Swedish Minister for Trade, Dr. Ewa Björling who gave her views on Sweden’s initiatives within this area. Mrs. Al Marashi, President of the Arabia CSR Network, praised the Embassy of Sweden and Swedish Trade Council for seeking partnerships that would contribute to the region’s sustainable development. She strongly urged other business councils to network and collaborate for corporate responsibility in the entire country. One of the highlights of the day were the presentations by ABB UAE, the Jumeirah Emirates Towers and Dubai Customs on how they have been able to integrate sustainability for creating organizational value while also contributing to various social issues and environmental challenges. Dr. Gracia Ugut, Associate Dean at the Asian Institute of Management, a leading expert within corporate social responsibility in Asia and the Middle East also presented during the seminar where she gave a quick primer on what were the essentials of an effective strategy for sustainability within any organization.

CORPORATE NEWS

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CORPORATE NEWS

ACSRN ORGANIZES 4TH CYCLE OF THE ARABIA CSR AWARDSThe Arabia CSR Forum & Awards 2011, organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and CEO, Emirates Group, Chairman, Dubai Airports, was held in the Grand Hyatt in Dubai on the 26th of October 2011. The Awards, since 2008, have honored companies across the Arab world who are committed to making a difference by embedding principles of Corporate Social Responsibility into their strategies and Sustainability in their respective spheres of influence. The fourth cycle of the Awards saw the participation of 42 organizations from 10 Arab countries, making them trailblazers in the field of CSR. Winners of the Arabia CSR Awards 2011 were:

The morning Forum witnessed the likes of international CSR stalwarts including Mr. Wolfgang Engshuber, Chairperson of UN Principles for Responsible Business; Dr. Nasser Saidi, Chief Economist and Head of External Relations, Dubai International Financial Centre Authority and Dr. Elissar Sarrouh, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative UAE and many more. The Forum, which was based on the theme “A Sustainability Spring in Arabia,” consisted of a morning plenary followed by three plenary sessions based on the three different aspects of sustainability, namely “Base of Pyramid Strategies for Business in the Arab World,” “The Economic Impact of Climate Change in the Arab World” and “CSR in the Arab World: Leading Up to the Uprisings of 2011.” The Jury for the Arabia CSR Awards 2011 consisted of Mr Matthias Stausberg, Spokesperson, UN Global Compact New York (Head of Jury, Arabia CSR Awards 2011), Dr Grace Ugut: Dean, Asian Insititute of Management, Philippines, Mr. Ralph Thurm, Director Sustainability Strategies, Dr. Ashraf Gamal, Executive Director, Egyptian Institute of Directors. The Arabia CSR Awards were strongly supported by their media partners 7Days and Gulf News.

LARGE CATEGORY

Winner: Al Futtaim Carillion (UAE) 1st Runner Up: ABB UAE (UAE) 2nd Runner Up:

Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (DUBAL)

MEDIUM CATEGORY

Winner: Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (Bahrain) 1st Runner Up: Vodafone Qatar (Qatar) 2nd Runner Up: Canon Middle East (UAE)

SMALL CATEGORY

Winner: Bank Sarasin-Alpen (ME) Ltd (UAE) 1st Runner Up: Tiger Profiles & Insulation LLC (UAE)

PUBLIC SECTOR CATEGORY

Winner: Dubai Customs

1st Runner Up (tie) Health Authority - Abu Dhabi

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority

2nd Runner Up: Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority

BEST NEWCOMER - Winner: Tristar Transport LLC (UAE)

SPECIAL PROJECT - Winner Bee’ah (UAE)

As the Awards mature over the years, two more Special Recognition were introduced to honor companies that deserved mention for their excellence in CSR strategies.

BEST CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION WINNER - Bahrain Women Association - For Human Development (Bahrain)

A SPECIAL MENTION AWARD - Zain KSA.

4th Cycle2011

ROUNDTABLE DOCUMENTS PUBLISHEDEEG academic member, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University, Dubai has taken a pioneering initiative to establish three annual Policy and Strategy Roundtable Documents for facilitating international dialogue, creating useful knowledge and crafting policy recommendations. The three Roundtable reports showcase the insights and knowledge of leading authorities and experts in the field and are based on education, health and creating a quality culture to increase competitiveness in the Arab world. All three documents were formulated through discussions and inputs from UN agencies, academic institutions, government departments, media organizations, business firms, NGOs and

consulting organizations from various parts of the world to address contemporary policy issues and challenges facing the Arab World. It is hoped that they will disseminate cutting edge ideas and policy recommendations throughout the Arab countries. The report based on quality discusses how quality is related to competitiveness, and summarizes economic policies that can help drive the Middle East forward. The Roundtable document on ‘learning’ investigated the e-learning issues of higher education. It documents how there is wide variation among Arab States in their literacy rates, especially among women and discusses several initiatives that have been taken to improve circumstances and increase the availability of resources. The third report focuses on healthcare issues in addition to environmental issues, as it is believed that a healthier environment, leads to a healthier population. By addressing issues such as water and air pollution, energy, transportation, agriculture, industrialization and ecosystems, nations can design mutually reinforcing policies that will aid the environment and help to control diseases and multiple health issues. Overall, it is thought that the documents will be highly useful and a great resource that will facilitate policy formation and modernization across all Arab States.

FIRST CARBON NEUTRAL SCHOOL IN EMIRATES HONOUREDBlossoms Nursery, the Dubai based kindergarten school, has been recogized by Swiss International non-profit foundation myclimate as the first carbon neutral educatioal school in the UAE. According to Markus Oberlin, the general manager of Farnek Avireal – a facilities management company which provided consultancy and advisory to enable the school to calculate its carbon emissions – the school managed to offset over 40 tons of carbon emissions. Measures taken by the school to rebalance its carbon emissions included recycling and making their own paper, using a filtration system to dispense water, cutting out the need to order plastic bottles and run refrigeration units. EEG would like to congratulate Blossoms Nursery for this wonderful achievement!

CAMPUS NEWS

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DUBAI MUNICIPALITY WEBSITE HELPS RESIDENTS CALCULATE THEIR IMPACT ON ENVIROMENTDubai Municipality has launched a new website (footprint.dm.ae) for residents to calculate their environmental impact. The website can be used to calculate an individual’s carbon footprint depending on their answers to a few simple questions. This move comes as the UAE is claimed to have one of the highest per capita carbon footprints in the world. According to the 2008 WWF Living Planet Report, the UAE has the world’s worst ecological footprint per person followed by the United States and Kuwait. A quiz on the website asks a number of questions, ranging from a person’s meat consumption, mode of transport and water wastage to the temperature setting of their air conditioning, before calculating a carbon footprint based on their answers. For instance a family of two that eats more meat and less vegetables, lives in an apartment without much greenery, uses a mid-sized car for over three hours everyday and uses no fixtures for energy ad water saving would be shocked to know that they are “living a life as if we have a 4.56 planets to support us while we only have one.” For information please visit www.footprint.dm.ae

PILOT IRRIGATION PROJECT AT YAS ISLAND SAVES 80% WATERAn irrigation system of gravel and pipes that run 60cm below the surface of the ground is showing positive results for growing lush grass with just 2.5 liters of water per square meter – compared to the usual requirement of ten to 12 liters. The plot,owned by Aldar, is the testing ground for seeing how little water ca be used to grow various plants, from grass to bougainvillea to salt-water tolerant shrubs, that are widely used to green residential areas as well as Yas Island itself. - Source: Gulf News

Flamingos of Al Wathba Wetland ReserveOn the 17th of October, the third episode from “The Environment Show with Ask Ali” at the ‘BuTinah Experience’ dome at the Abu Dhabi Corniche. Made by popular broadcaster and media commentator, Ali Al Saloom, in association with the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, this groundbreaking nature documentary series is exclusively about the UAE, filmed in the UAE, and made by an entrepreneurial young Emirati. The episode entitled “Flamingos of Al Wathba Wetland Reserve” takes Ali on a journey through the UAE’s Flamingos while EAD’s Bird Scientist explains to him about their importance and why we need to protect them. The episode can be viewed here: http://www.ask-asli.com/EAD/The-Environment-Show-with-AskAli-Flamingos-HQ.mp4

LOCAL NEWS

GEARING UP FOR THE EYE ON EARTH SUMMIT!

The Abu Dhabi Eye on Earth Summit is approaching fast, (12th-15th December 2011) and aims to convene, converge and collaborate experts from across the world to discuss the consequences of missing, inaccessible or hidden data and its consequences. The Summit will bring together policymakers and specialists to discuss the key issues regarding data accessibility. The aim is not to set up a new data sharing system, but work towards liberating what is already there, forming new networks and connections and helping people interact with likeminded professionals. In the run up to the conference the summit committee have produced a newsletter called “Eye on Earth View”. The second edition was released on the 11th October 2011 and focuses on the ‘Road to Rio’. The Summit is a strong supporter of the Rio+20 Conference in 2012 and plans to adopt and ratify an “Eye on Earth Rio+20 Declaration” that will be submitted to the UNCSD by the Government of the UAE. Conferences such as the Eye on Earth Summit will act as an ideal platform for professionals to share their knowledge on how applying the correct data in the correct way can help create successful conservation projects. The full issue of the Eye on Earth Newsletter can be found on the Conference website: http://www.eyeonearthsummit.org/

CAMPAIGN AGAINST NON-DEGRADABLE PLASTIC MATERIALS IN SHARJAHSharjah Municipality announced a new campaign to spread awareness among residents of Sharjah on the dangers of plastics, especially non-degradable plastic, on the environment and human health. This campaign comes in conjunction with the decision to ban the use of non-degradable plastic products in the Emirate of Sharjah. The campaign will run for a whole month and will include a diverse range of activities to attract the largest possible audience. The activities include lectures and seminars in schools, universities, malls and public areas to inform the public about the dangers of plastics and the diseases they can cause. The biggest danger of these products is that they do not biodegrade for long periods of time, making it a huge threat to human and animal health as well as the environment, It has been stated that UAE produces about 1.75 billion plastic bags annually.

EUROPEAN FORUM FOR FUTURE ENERGY 2011At the beginning of the European Forum for the Future Energy 2011, Masdar emphasized that the UAE is keen to meet the challenges of energy and climate change. The Forum, held under the theme “Empowering Innovation for a Sustainable World”, gathered experts and decision makers from various sectors including government, industry and finance, providing them an opportunity to exchange knowledge, experiences, while deepening cooperation between them, to find solutions to ensure energy security and addressing the implications of climate change.Masdar said that the UAE, under the guidance of its government and leadership, is eager to contribute to the strengthening of dialogue and cooperation at all levels, in order to raise the efficiency of the global response to the challenges we face in terms of energy and climate change. Masdar also indicated the importance of focusing on the diverse of energy sources and investment in the development of clean technologies that ensures energy security and sustainable development, as well as provides more job opportunities and promotes economic activity.

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The latest edition of the IUCN newsletter ‘Conservation Made Clear’ has been published and is now available to view online. The October issue focuses on ‘Saving our Drylands’ and reports how drylands cover more than 40% of the earths land surface and are home to more than a third of the global population, many of whom are the worlds poorest people. Drylands are found on every continent and are regions where water is scarce and rainfall is highly variable. Drylands are immensely important,

providing food, water, animal fodder, fuel, wood, shelter and medicines to millions of people. Drylands need to be managed and conserved because in the face of climate change, desertification is increasing, which is making the inhabitants of drylands vulnerable. The IUCN believe that it is the people that live in the drylands who are the secret to managing them, but these people are often marginalized and have little right to their natural resources. In Kenya the realization that local people are the key to conservation, has sparked a partnership that is helping to secure the future for the endangered Grevy’s Zebra and the people that share the land with them. The successful conservation of the zebra depends on the commitment of communities living across its range. Through community led initiatives the IUCN are helping to improve natural resource management and strengthen the capacity of communities to conserve priority species and dryland habitats. To view the Conservation Made Clear Newsletter for October 2011, follow the following link: http://www.iucn.org/knowledge/news/newsletters/cmc/cmc_oct2011.cfm

To celebrate Mashujaa Day and in honour of the Shujaa Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, a trek and tree planting day was organised on the 20th October 2011 along the Ngong Hills, Nairobi. The event was open to everyone including children aged 8 years or above and combined a scenic hike with spectacular views of the landscape and wildlife, including an abundant array of bird life and the planting activities. Those who took part had an early start to the day. The hike route went across the Ngong Hills which are a series of peaks along the Great Rift Valley located southwest of Nairobi in southern Kenya. The word Ngong is a maasai word meaning ‘knuckles’ due to the hill peaks of the ridge which stand alone rising from the plain around Nairobi. The Ngong Hills from the eastside slopes overlook Nairobi National Park and off to the north city of Nairobi. From the Westside slopes, it overlooks the Great Rift Valley dropping over 4,000 feet below where nomadic Maasai villages have been developed. Wildlife can still be seen in Ngong Hills, including Antelopes and Buffalos as the most common. Gazelles, Giraffes, Bushbuck, the occasional Klipspringer and troupes of Baboons are visible as they graze along the roadside. Participants also got to take part in a tree-planting event, which supports Wangari Maathai’s campaign and legacy ‘The Green Belt Movement’. Planting trees not only increases the green areas within the respective countries of the campaign, it also educates and empowers the people who do the planting, increases and diversifies habitats and plants absorb carbon dioxide, a harmful greenhouse gas. All participants thoroughly enjoyed the days event and were pleased to not only enjoy the challenging hike, but give something back to nature, by planting a precious tree sapling.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

OPINIONS ON THE UPCOMING COP 17 - With the approach of the 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) scheduled to take place in Durban, South Africa from 28 November – 9th December 2011, attention is being drawn to climate change, concurrent with the date of the conclusion of the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol. With this in mind, Ernst and Young recently released his outlook on the COP 17. They write about the history of the Kyoto protocol and focuse on the future post 2012. They emphasize how it is recognized that developed countries are responsible for most of the increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Per capita emissions in developed countries are still much higher than those of the developing world. Ernst & Young states that developed countries should therefore take the lead in committing to mitigate their own emissions and to invest in technology transfer, mitigation activities and building resilience in developing countries. Ernst and Young strongly believe that the COP 17 will clarify and give direction concerning the uncertainties that have evolved during the Kyoto period. Environmental risks can be minimised by addressing ecological scarcities. They believe that it is necessary to find equilibrium between human needs and environmental realities. Examples of how this can be achieved are through switching to sustainable energy sources.To view the full report from Ernst and Young, follow the link below: http://appablog.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/the-conference-of-parties-cop-17-outlook-by-jeremy-grist-director-for-climate-change-sustainability-services-at-ernst-young/

CIVIL SOCIETY Ahead of the climate summit in Durban in November, questions are being asked about whether the commitment to carbon markets as a central response to climate change is the right approach. Amid evidence of double-counting of emissions reductions and a failure to deliver sustainable development benefit in developing countries, is the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) worth saving? For more information, please visit http://www.uea.ac.uk/dev/gcd/UEA+London+Public+Debate+on+Carbon+Markets

THE UNEP FORESIGHT PROCESS - The UNEP Foresight Process is a project designed by the UNEP Chief Scientists for identifying emerging environmental issues and prioritizing them for in-depth analysis, based on a broad consultation process. It was developed to ensure that the UN community and environmental policy community are aware of the most critical emerging issues related to the environment and to inform policy agenda. The Foresight Process, convened by the Chief Scientists, consists of 22 distinguished scientists/experts, with a broad regional and disciplinary representation. The process involved canvassing the UNEP community (which identified 68 issues), with the Foresight Panel then meeting to debate a total of 95 issues, which were then refined to provide 21 priority issues for the 21st century. The 21 issues cover the major environmental themes such as Food and Land, Freshwater and Marine, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Energy, Waste and Technology and other cross-cutting issues such as Environmental Governance, Human Behavioural Change and Bridging Science and Policy.

SOCIAL MEDIA CLIMATE CAMPAIGN WITH PHOTO / VIDEO COMPETITION FOR AFRICAN YOUTH - The World Bank, in collaboration with more than 30 global partners, is launching the Connect4Climate initiative – a campaign, a competition, and a community that cares about climate change. The campaign was kickstarted on 15th September, with a photo/video competition for African youth, aged 13 to 35, which is designed to raise awareness about climate change. Through photos and videos of 60 seconds or less, those entering the Connect4Climate competition are encouraged to answer the question, “What does climate change mean to you, your family, your community, your country?” Participants in the competition are invited to share their personal stories and solutions for change in six Connect4Climate award categories: 1) Agriculture 2) Energy 3) Forests 4) Gender 5) Health, and 5) Water. The deadline for submissions is 15th November 2011.We request our members who are interested to join, to visit www.facebook.com/connect4climate or www.connect4climate.org

Conservation made clear

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November 2011

NEWS & UPDATES1. UNFCC JOINS FORCES WITH CARING FOR CLIMATEThe Global Compact, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) signed an agreement (19 September, New York) to join forces on Caring for Climate, the Global Compact-UNEP initiative aimed at advancing the role of business in addressing climate change. The three organizations will work together to better align Caring for Climate with the climate policy agenda and enhance the visibility of business actions in the process. More.

2. PRI CONFERENCE LINKS LONG-TERM INVESTING WITH FINANCIAL STABILITYThe UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) convened its fifth annual conference with leading investors (15-16 Sep, Paris). During the event the importance of adopting long-term investment policies as a way to achieve greater financial stability in global markets was stressed. In addition, several Global Compact-oriented initiatives and resources were launched. More. Learn more about the newly launched initiatives and resources.

ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES1. COMMENT ON DISCUSSION PAPER: IIRC INTEGRATED REPORTINGIntegrated Reporting demonstrates the linkages between an organization’s strategy, governance and financial performance and the social, environmental and economic context within which it operates. By reinforcing these connections, Integrated Reporting can help business to take more sustainable decisions and enable investors and other stakeholders to understand how an organization is performing. By addressing the material issues for an organization, an Integrated Report should demonstrate in a clear and concise manner an organization’s ability to create and sustain value in the short, medium and longer term.

The International Integrated Reporting Committee is calling for feedback on its recently released discussion paper Towards Integrated Reporting - Communicating Value in the 21st Century. Learn more about the discussion paper consultation. Please contact Jerome Lavigne-Delville (lavigne@un.org) for more information.

2. MORE OPPORTUNITIES: LOW CARBON LEADERS, ANTI-CORRUPTION GOOD PRACTICESMany of the engagement opportunities announced in past issues of the Bulletin are still active. View thefull list of Engagement Opportunities.

FEATURED RESOURCES1. A GLOBAL COMPACT FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY– A Framework for Business Action: Aims to motivate and guide business engagement and action in support of the Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative. In keeping with the initiative’s 2030 targets, the Framework identifies how companies can have the most significant impact – through their core business operations as well as product and service development; through social investments and philanthropy; and through advocacy and public policy engagement. Download.

2. THE RESPONSIBLE INVESTOR’S GUIDE TO COMMODITIES– An Overview of Best Practices across Commodity-Exposed Asset Classes: Seeks to improve the understanding of environmental, social and governance issues in commodity investments with a view to identifying and promoting best practices in this area. Download.

3. ADVANTAGE ENERGY– Emerging Economies, Developing Countries and the Private-Public Sector Interface: Examines the global energy system by breaking it into three subsystems: heat energy, electricity and transportation. This perspective provides a means to articulate the differences and similarities between the private and public investments needed by each subsystem. Download.

TOTAL FIGURES AS OF 30 SEPTEMBER:

• Business participants: 6,301• Non-business participants: 2,900• COPs submitted: 12,667• Delisted business participants: 2,799

DETAILS OF THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT LOCAL NETWORK FOR GCC STATES Total figures as of 25th October:• Total participants: 77• Participants joined in October 2011: 6

PARTICIPANT STATUS: NEW SIGNATORIES, COPS AND DELISTINGSIn September, 157 companies and 42 non-business stakeholders joined the Global Compact. 107 companies were delisted for failing to communicate on progress.

Recently invitations were sent out to business participants of the UN Global Compact around the world to apply for the upcoming 2012 edition. To advance transparency, promote the sharing of best practices, and perhaps most significantly, give a strong voice to the regional and global actors that are at the heart of the initiative, the Macondo media group encourages members to: If possible please promote the Yearbook within your network If participants want to learn more please point to the website www.globalcompactyearbook.com. More details are available on http://www.macondo.de/global-compact-yearbook/pdf/GCIntl_Yearbook_Call.pdf

KNOWLEDGE SHARING SYSTEM

The UNGC Local Network for GCC States would like to inform its members that the UNGC has also requested Local Networks across the world to update their Knowledge Sharing System (KSS) with company-specific information, activities and best practices. The sharing of experiences and activities through the kss is necessary to feature in the Annual Local Network Report 2012, which will be launched during the ALNF at the Rio+ 20 events next year.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE 2012 EDITION OF THE GLOBAL COMPACT INTERNATIONAL YEARBOOK:

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OUTREACH & MEMBERS UPDATE

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EEG MEMBERS UPDATEEEG warmly welcomed 31 new & 8 renewed Student & Individual members, 1 new Academic member, 1 new & 1 renewed Corporate members, 1 renewed Associate member in the month of October 2011

INDIVIDUAL AND STUDENT MEMBERS

Maryam Hammad Renewal Smiksha Singla New Aarushi Mittal New

Mohamed Hammad Renewal Satvik Vashisht New Sanjana Menon New

Rayan Khalid Hammad Renewal Naviya Singla New Ayesha Firdous New

Gayathry Santhosh Renewal Farman Mohammad Khan New Govardhan Dileep Nair New

Jalp Manish Shah Renewal Salama Mohamed Al Qubaisi New Deepayan Roy New

Hanumanth Kumar Renewal Rohan Mathur New Shradha Anish New

John Young Renewal Prashasti Nagpal New Mrinal Anish New

Noor Khalid Hammad Renewal Anirudh Goel New Mahima Juana Isaac New

Mona Salman Al Sabri New Hessa Hamad Buti Al Falasi New Aaron Fernandes New

Akshita Bhatia New Atheeja Hamad Buti Al Falasi New Apoorva Goel New

Rohan Kapur New Swetha Sreenivas Vipparla New Aastha Jani New

Sara Faraj Amiri New Rohil Mankotia New Poojal Deevidas Mapari New

Mohammed Faraj Amiri New Shria Sadhu New Varnica Bajaj New

ACADEMIC MEMBER

New Academy School New

CORPORATE MEMBERS

Spinneys Renewal ACCOR MAF Hospitality Services New

ASSOCIATE MEMBER

Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (Dubal) renewal

11.11.11With this year’s slogan, “One Root, One Communi-TREE”, this eventful day aims to divert waste from landfills, to implement habitual long term recycling , to promote volunteerism and civic responsibility in the society; and Corporate Social Responsibility among organizations, and to expand the sustainable green patch in the UAE.

CLEANUP UAEThe biggest nation wide environmental campaign is HERE! EEG is targetting 25,000 people this year to clean more than 100 sites across the UAE. Register today!

ABC EXPO - The Arabian Build & Construction (ABC) Expo is an international exhibition and global summit focusing on sustainable design and construction for the built environment and will be held from the 22-25 April 2012. EEG is proud to be the official environmental partner of the event. For more information, please visit http://abcexpo.me/

THE LAND WE GRAZE - The latest publication from The World Initiative for Sustainable Pastoralism (WISP) entitled, “The Land we Graze: a synthesis of case studies about how pastoralists’ organisations defend their land rights.” Please find the publication here: http://www.iucn.org/wisp/resources/?8386/The-Land-We-Graze-A-Synthesis-of-Case-Studies-About-How-Pastoralists-Prganizations-Defend-Their-Land-Rights

TAWASUL CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS AWARDS - The CSL Awards is an initiative highlighted by an awards ceremony/event to recognize distinguished and Out-of the-Box Social Responsibility Initiatives from the Public Sector, Private Sector and Civil Society Organizations. For more information, please visit http://www.tawasul.co.om/value2.html

NOT YET A MEMBER? SIGN UP TODAY!EEG welcomes new members as part of our family. EEG is a professional working organization that provides volunteering opportunities for the community to engage in programs and activities to raise their environmental awareness and contribute to environmental protection. to know more about EEG: Call (+971) 4 344 8622 or Fax us at (+971) 4 344 8677 Log on www.eeg-uae.org; or email us on eeg@emirates.net .ae

“I am writing to you from the airport while we wait to board our flight back to Dubai. The last 7 days have been the most memorable in my life and I cannot thank you enough for providing me with this unique opportunity. As instructed by you, we diligently participated in all the Tunza workshops and other events. I was able to give my presentation on my eco-activities with EEG, which was very well received. At the closing ceremony, I was given the opportunity of perform a song which was also applauded. We, as a team, interacted with other regional delegates and shared our activities on conservation, which we take part in, through EEG. Thank you once again for this wonderful opportunity.” Kehkashan Basu, Student Member

MAILBAG

INTER-COLLEGE ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITIONEEG is accepting registrations from University and College Students from all over the Region for the Public Speaking Competition, which will be held on the 28th and 29th of November 2010. There are a limited number of entries per topic, so to ensure you can speak about your preferred topic, register for the event today!

ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION

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WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

PAPER COLLECTION CAMPAIGNEEG thanks the 363 participants for collecting 118,125 kgs of paper during October 2011, a decrease of 9% compared with October 2010. The collection has increased by 29% compared to September 2011. Let’s put more efforts to prevent trees from being cut and contribute in combating the effects of Global Warming, The Top Three Collectors were:

Schools Quantity (kg) Companies Quantity (kg) Individual Quantity (kg)

Al Ittihad Private School 5325 ABB UAE 6400 Nikhil Viswanathan 900

Dubai Women’s College 2950 Petrofac Emirates 3610 Salama Al Qubaisi 645

St. Mary’s Catholic High School 2800 Department of Economic Development (DED)

2385 Fatima Sami Fahad 601

CAN COLLECTION CAMPAIGNEEG has collected 108 kgs of Aluminum Cans from its 28 partipants. during the month of October 2011, a decrease of 39% from October 2010. But an increase of 89% compared to September 2011. The Top collectors were:

Schools Quantity (kg) Companies Quantity (kg) Individual Quantity (kg)

Inter-Continental Leaf Tobacco 90 Mohamed Ali Badshah 12

Afsana Marashi 10

Shinjini Mazumdar 9

GLASS COLLECTION CAMPAIGNRecycling Glass means conserving water and energy!! EEG thanks the 61 participants for collecting 25,751 kgs for the month of October 2011, a decrease of 3% from October 2010, but still shows an increase of 49% compared to September 2011. Good Job!!! The Top collectors were:

Schools Quantity (kg) Companies Quantity (kg) Individual Quantity (kg)

Al Rabee Kindergarten 75 Fairmont Hotel 10390 Mohamed Ali Badshah 300

Park Hyatt 4565

Radisson Blu Hotel 1655

PLASTIC COLLECTION CAMPAIGNThe Collection of Plastic for October 2011 reached 7,371 kgs from 184 participants, 2% decrease from October 2010 and 5% increase in quantity compared to September 2011. Let us put more efforts to recycle more plastic to keep them out of landfills. The Top collectors were:

Schools Quantity (kg) Companies Quantity (kg) Individual Quantity (kg)

Al Ittihad School & The Philippine School (tie)

200 Emirates Golf Club 620 Akbar Badshah 120

Al Rabee Kindergarten 115 BP Sharjah 540

American School of Dubai 90 Khadamat 460

TONER COLLECTION CAMPAIGNA total of 908 pieces were collected from 35 participants during the month of October 2011, an increase of 86% from October 2010 Toner and an increase of 55% compared to September 2011. Dear participants, help us to keep those toxic chemicals and heavy metals out of our landfills to prevent pollution of water tables. The Top Three collectors were:

Schools pcs. Companies pcs. Individual pcs.

Rashid School for Boys 162 Al Maha Arjaan Rotana 133 Drishya Dinesh 87

The Millenium School 100 Neha Swaminathan 51

Rayan Khalid Hammad 50

BATTERIES, TETRAPAK AND MOBILE CAMPAIGNS• Among the special projects that EEG is implementing in the recycling and collection of 3 different waste stream – Mobile, Tetra Pak and Battery.

• A total of 145 pcs mobile phones were collected for the month of October from 2 individuals and 5 participating organizations. 58% growth from September 2011

• With the participation of 9 companies and 4 individual member, a total of 628 kgs of tetra-pak were collected. 45 % growth from September 2011

• A total of 46 kgs of batteries were collected from 6 individuals and 3 participating organizations to the Battery Collection campaign. 68% decrease from

September 201

Thank you for your efforts!

MONTHLY PROGRESS REPORT