13th Dubai Award For Sustainable Transport Witnesses Unprecedented 168 Entries

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has witnessed a significant surge in participation for the 13th Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport (DAST), marking a 20% increase with 168 entries. This year's event, held under the auspices of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, has seen a notable rise in interest compared to the previous edition in 2022. The award has attracted a diverse group of participants from governmental, semi-governmental, and private sectors across the UAE and the Middle East and North Africa region.

The increasing number of submissions highlights DAST's growing prominence as a key initiative reflecting RTA's ambition to lead globally in providing seamless and sustainable mobility solutions. The award aligns with Dubai's comprehensive strategy for sustainable development, impacting various sectors such as commerce, economy, tourism, and real estate.

Muna AL Osaimi, Secretary General of DAST, shared insights into the preliminary screening process, noting a broad spectrum of entries from the academic and business communities. This diversity underscores a widespread commitment to advancing sustainable mobility solutions that are environmentally friendly and support future readiness.

The evaluation process is set to proceed with entries being categorized into Initiatives, Research and Development, and Special Recognition. A panel of 10 external experts will ensure a thorough and impartial assessment to identify the winners, who will be announced in June 2024.

Al Osaimi elaborated on the evaluation criteria for each category. The Outstanding Sustainable Transport category will be judged based on governance, strategic planning, methodologies, implementation, and outcomes. The Initiatives category focuses on excellence, leadership, development, inclusiveness, innovation, and knowledge transfer. Research and Development entries will be assessed on research topic relevance, methodology, design, and findings. Lastly, the Special Recognition category will consider contributions towards raising community awareness on sustainability issues, supporting sustainable development goals, participation in relevant activities, and alignment with RTA’s strategic objectives.

This rigorous evaluation framework underscores RTA's commitment to transparency and neutrality in recognizing efforts that significantly contribute to sustainable transport solutions. Through DAST, RTA continues to foster innovation and excellence in sustainable mobility across the region.

With inputs from WAM