Clean Up UAE 2018

The main objectives of the Programme are: • To create awareness amongst the community about local environmental issues with special emphasis on waste management, waste reduction and recycling. • To educate the community on the importance of reducing the quantity of waste all over the country. • To link with the global environmental movement by promoting the principle of ‘thinking globally, acting locally’. • To instil a sense of responsibility towards environmental protection & preservation amongst the community particularly with the youth. • To involve various sectors of society like government, corporate, academic and domestic institutions, in an integrated national environmental initiative. • To facilitate integrated partnerships for the cause of sustainable development in UAE and the region as a whole. • To cut across barriers of religion, nationality, age, gender and occupation. • To initiate a sustained, annual, national event that will provide experience in hands- on environmental action. • To make a blueprint for concerted environmental action that can be replicated elsewhere. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals As an accredited body of the UNEP, EEG is proud to state that through this campaign EEG has been able to successfully implement the following UN SDG goals: 1) Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 2) Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 3) Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 4) Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 5) Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 6) Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development In 2018, the Clean Up UAE Campaign witnessed the participation of 22,607 volunteers across 12 sites with a collection of 40,700 kilograms of waste. For a better understanding, given below is a breakdown of each of the major sites: • Sharjah: 2 tonnes of waste • Ajman: 1 tonne of waste • Dibba Al Fujairah: 2 tonnes of waste • Abu Dhabi: 5 tonnes of waste • Dubai: 15 tonnes of waste • Umm Al Quwain: 5 tonnes of waste • Ras Al Khaimah: 0.5 tonnes of waste EEG has always been an ardent believer in the power of volunteerism, and this is exactly what came alive on the most active volunteer day of the year. It was overwhelming to witness the determination of the common man as they left their homes early in the morning for a selfless cause. Another huge impact of the Clean Up UAE campaign is that it is graced by volunteers from all walks of life – from high profile officials to CEOs, from corporations to laborers and from families to individuals – who have the belief that they have the power to make a difference. The impact of the Campaign over the years is represented in the following data: • 2004: 12,000 participants who collected 54,000 kilograms of waste • 2009: 18,000 participants who collected 87,000 kilograms of waste • 2011: 27,136 participants who collected 97,469 kilograms of waste • 2018: 22,607 participants who collected 40,70 kilograms of waste EEG has several plans in the pipeline to increase the impact of this Campaign. We would continue to invite private sector organisations and stakeholders to come on board through sponsorship and partnerships to further increase the clean and green spaces in the UAE. Despite the large participation of over 22,000 volunteers, we would like to invite like-minded partners and sponsors who will play an active role with us in bringing together a more diverse group of participants in the UAE. We have also initiated Clean Up campaigns in other Arab Countries i.e. Sultanate of Oman and Sudan. We are also confident that with the right partnership, we can further expand this campaign to other Arab countries that are looking to bring about a change in behaviour to their communities and populations while promoting active sustainability.