Sharjah 24: The Sharjah Municipality (SM) attaches the highest importance to sustainability and quality of life and has set many strategic goals to achieve this progressive vision, among many initiatives implemented by the municipality to promote sustainable development in the Emirate of Sharjah.
As of last year, green areas in the city of Sharjah constitute as much as 22 million square metres, and the proportion of the green areas in the city has been growing more than 12 per cent annually, which contributes to purifying the air and addressing the challenges of climate change.
His Excellency Obaid Saeed Al Tunaiji, Director General of Sharjah Municipality (SM), stressed that the municipality views sustainable development goals and initiatives as its highest priority, out of its belief in the importance of building a sustainable future for future generations.
He added, "The Sharjah Municipality has been keen to ensure that its current and future vision are based on achieving leadership in sustainability and quality of life. Based on this ambitious goal, the municipality has worked to implement a number of projects and initiatives that support sustainable development efforts in the Emirate of Sharjah."
The Director General stressed that one of the sustainable initiatives adopted by the Sharjah Municipality is the management and development of wastewater facilities in accordance with the latest international systems to produce high-quality treated water, as well as the production of high-quality organic fertiliser from the sludge resulting from treatment operations and various agricultural wastes.
Al-Tunaiji added that the municipality’s professional teams have implemented several projects using recycled materials, including establishing a garden and library from recycled materials and designing a number of warning signs on the roads from used tires.
He pointed out that the Sharjah civic body has developed an ambitious road map for sustainable development projects such as Smart Irrigation Management. The municipality intends to increase reliance on advanced systems for smart irrigation management to reduce water waste. These systems will monitor and improve the use of irrigation water in green spaces, gardens and irrigation systems, ensuring efficient use of water and reducing wastage.
Water treatment
Sharjah produces more than 72 million cubic metres of treated water annually, and the municipality runs a number of wastewater treatment plants. The treated water plants meet the irrigation needs of the agricultural projects in the emirate, enhancing the green profile of the emirate.
Last year, in 2022, 78,000 tons of fertiliser were produced in the factory run by the Sharjah Municipality, making use of the sludge produced by the treatment of wastewater and agricultural waste. Agricultural fertiliser produced by the municipality not only meets the needs of its agricultural projects, it is also being offered for commercial purposes.
This year, in 2023, the municipality also launched its organic fertiliser production unit, an innovative fertiliser production unit that produces Class A fertiliser by converting sewage sludge into high-quality fertilisers.
Green landscapes
The Sharjah Municipality accords high importance to expanding green areas and public parks in the city. The municipality also runs agricultural nurseries that meet the needs of its agricultural projects in terms of seedlings of both ornamental and fruit-bearing trees. Some seedlings are also offered to the citizens of the emirate for free.
The Sharjah Municipality manages 68 gardens in the city of Sharjah. As many as 17 million flowers were produced in the municipal nurseries, not to mention thousands of flower plants planted in the streets and squares during the year 2022.
The Sharjah Municipality has made huge strides in enhancing sustainable infrastructure in the Emirate of Sharjah. It has completed a number of rubber walkways in the city of Sharjah, which also included developing pedestrian pathways to encourage walking and cycling by residents.
Renewable energy initiatives
The Sharjah Municipality has made use of renewable energy sources to reduce carbon emissions. It has converted a large number of billboards to power them using solar energy instead of traditional electrical energy sources. The municipality also made use of solar energy to light a number of parks in the city.
Waste management and recycling
In line with its commitment to reducing waste and promoting recycling, the Sharjah Municipality has implemented a number of projects using recycled materials. These included a garden, a library and warning signs on the roads utilising used tyres.
Biodiversity conservation
The Sharjah Municipality participated in the afforestation and rehabilitation of some natural reserves such as Al Muntahir Reserve to preserve their biological diversity.
Reducing carbon emissions
The Sharjah civic body has been using the revolutionary Adblue technology in its vehicles to reduce carbon emissions and preserve the environment in the emirate.
Awareness
Sharjah Municipality specialists have offered awareness lectures in the field of environmental sustainability in cooperation with various educational and academic institutions, such as the University of Sharjah and Al Qasimia University.
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