AESG in sustainability partnership with Tecnalia
Regional consultancy and global research giant to engage Middle East governments and planners in tackling green development challenges
Dubai-headquartered consultancy AESG and global technology research organisation Tecnalia have formed a partnership for the Middle East to deliver solutions for sustainable development in the region.
A statement from AESG said the two firms aim to achieve their objective through engagement with regional government and urban planning committees. The consultancy also said that it will enhance its Energy, Sustainability and Environmental consulting service lines through the application of the latest research and technological advancements generated by Tecnalia’s team of over 1,400 research and development professionals.
Tecnalia has carried out research and projects on behalf of the United Nations, European Commission and governments throughout Europe, South America and North America, and has recently completed a complex energy mapping project for the Dubai government.
Saeed Al Abbar, director at AESG, said: “This partnership is based on perfect synergy between each organisation’s objectives. We will apply the latest research and technological innovation in the world to the specific challenges in the region and together, we will drive large scale sustainability undertakings that address pressing urban development challenges while stimulating economic growth and creating new jobs.”
The statement listed four challenges that the two companies have identified for the region and are keen to work closely with regional governments to solve. The first of these is to assist regional governments in decarbonising their economies to meet their COP21 climate change commitments, while the second is the improvement of waste management, as the traditional approach of landfilling waste places a large burden on governments in terms of land use and cost. The companies hope to instead transform waste into a resource that generates financial returns.
Environmental protection is the third challenge, the statement said. This involves curtailing air and water pollution and stemming the loss of biodiversity through the utilisation of research and advanced computational modelling. The fourth challenge is tackling water scarcity and ensuring water security while decreasing dependence on desalination, which bears significant economic and environmental costs.
“Tecnalia’s main focus is the application of technological research to drive GDP and business growth,” said Dr. Javier Urreta, director of Sustainable Construction Division at Tecnalia. “We will work with AESG to devise solutions that are based on robust research and technological innovation. Leveraging the strong ties our organisations have with regional governments, we will collaborate to solve some of the greatest urban and environmental challenges in the Middle East.”
