ABU DHABI, The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) recently organised two training workshops to further understanding of the Green Industries environmental labelling programme, which was launched in June under the patronage of HH.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of EAD.
The Green Industries programme aims to recognise industrial facilities that adopt green processes and operations, allowing them to use the Green Industries label to market their business and products.
The workshops, held digitally, were attended by more than 135 industrial facilities from various sectors in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The sessions highlighted the significance and purpose of the programme, as well as the application process and the necessary criteria to receive the Green Industries label.
The programme assists consumers in identifying industrial facilities with green operations that comply with special environmental standards. Through this incentive programme, EAD seeks to enhance consumer awareness about environmental issues, the impact of facilities and the environmental outcomes of their choices. This, in turn, will encourage enterprises to adopt green manufacturing processes that will influence consumer decisions in selecting goods.
The programme also supports innovative and environmentally advanced facilities through the continuous development of standards and by stimulating competition among facilities.
The implementation of this programme is expected to help EAD achieve its goals of raising environmental compliance in factories and reducing emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions, as well as supporting the achievement of the country’s strategic objectives – in particular, UAE Net Zero 2050.
The workshops focused on the four evaluation criteria set out for the programme. The first category evaluates the demand-side management of resources, which looks at the conservation of resources. The second category sets criteria for reducing pollution by continuously updating procedures and processes to ensure the application of best environmental practices and through controlling and monitoring emissions across various environmental aspects. The third category of Green Industries focuses on the facility’s environmental compliance, while the fourth category focuses on innovation criteria.
The workshops also highlighted how to submit environmental label applications, explaining the detailed steps and the evaluation process, in addition to the permitted uses of the environmental label and how to maintain it. Industrial facilities can apply for the environmental label through an online application system.
EAD then reviews and evaluates the application and organises a visit to participating facilities to ensure their compliance with the programme’s criteria.
The Green Industries label is granted for one year to industrial facilities displaying outstanding environmental performance and those adopting and following environmental standards during the manufacturing process.
Source: Emirates News Agency