Ajman Municipality Highlights Sustainable City Initiatives At World Renewable Energy Congress 2025

The Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman participated in the 24th World Renewable Energy Congress (WREC-24) held in Manchester, UK, from August 26 to 29, 2025. This event drew a global audience of experts and policymakers focused on sustainable energy. The delegation was led by Dr. Eng. Khalid Moeen Al Hosani, who stressed the importance of public-private partnerships to achieve zero waste and promote a circular economy.

Dr. Eng. Yasser Kayed, an Environmental Specialist at the Municipality Department, delivered a presentation titled "Integration of Emission Reduction Technologies." He highlighted the importance of combining emission reduction strategies across renewable energy, sustainable transportation, environmental management, and green infrastructure sectors. This integrated approach could potentially reduce urban emissions by up to 80% by 2050.

Al Hosani discussed strategies for achieving "zero waste" in sustainable cities that can withstand climate change. He noted that these strategies depend heavily on robust public-private partnerships that incorporate financing and innovation alongside regulation and public interest protection. He also mentioned the rapid changes and growing global challenges in waste management.

Kayed highlighted several projects by Ajman Municipality, such as using IoT sensor networks and advanced AI technologies to monitor air quality accurately. These efforts resulted in an air quality index of 96.19% in the first half of 2025 and reduced air pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur by 30% since 2020.

Al Hosani showcased Ajman's achievements in sustainable city development through initiatives like the sludge-to-energy project launched with private sector collaboration. This project began electricity production in 2022 with a capacity of 2.4 megawatts, achieving 40% self-sufficiency for the treatment plant and reducing electricity consumption by 60%.

Kayed also presented a detailed breakdown of greenhouse gas emissions by sector within Ajman. This analysis has been crucial for guiding environmental policies and aligning efforts with national goals for climate neutrality by 2050.

Renewable Energy Projects

The sludge-to-energy initiative is part of Ajman's broader commitment to innovative solutions addressing financial, technical, and regulatory challenges through blended finance and risk-sharing models. Additionally, emissions from the electricity and water sector decreased by 10% in 2023 compared to 2022 due to renewable energy projects like this one and increased solar power adoption.

Al Hosani pointed out that municipal waste generation worldwide reaches 2.1 billion tonnes annually, contributing to about 5% of greenhouse gas emissions. With urbanisation accelerating, waste levels are expected to rise by 70% by 2050.

The Emirate's efforts demonstrate how integrating emission reduction technologies can yield significant environmental benefits while supporting economic growth and improving public health outcomes.

With inputs from WAM