UAE Launches First Green Innovation District at Expo City Dubai

Dubai:

In a major step for the nation’s sustainability agenda, the Expo City Dubai has formally become home to the UAE’s first Green Innovation District, a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Economy & Tourism and the Expo City Dubai Authority. The district is designed as a hub for clean technologies, green manufacturing, sustainable mobility and circular economy ventures, aligning economic growth with environmental ambition.

At the launch, Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri underscored that the move represents “a new chapter in our country’s sustainability journey … the coming together of our economic and environmental goals”. The district will provide research facilities, incubator spaces and testing zones for both startups and established firms all aimed at accelerating the UAE’s clean-industry growth and regional decarbonisation efforts.

The initiative includes the rollout of the nation’s first Green License for eco-conscious businesses, and an on-site Green Intellectual Property Office to attract global innovators. According to Reem Al Hashimy, the district will foster an “open, dynamic and diverse” ecosystem where government, private industry, academia and investors work side-by-side.

The timing aligns with the UAE’s broader sustainability roadmap including its Net Zero 2050 strategy and its role in major global climate forums. By creating a practical, scalable platform for green growth rather than a purely symbolic one, the Green Innovation District aims to demonstrate that sustainability and competitiveness go hand-in-hand.