Expo 2020 and Environmental Sustainability

Expo 2020 and Environmental Sustainability

Expo 2020 Dubai, the region’s first of its kind, has been a long-awaited event. With its “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” theme, Expo 2020 is focusing on three main elements: sustainability, mobility, and opportunity. Aiming to become the most sustainable expo so far, Expo 2020 Dubai has taken diverse measures from installing renewable energy systems to reducing water usage and segregating waste. Expo 2020’s sustainability efforts are supported by its partners that have been undertaking various sustainability initiatives of their own besides helping realize the expo’s sustainability vision.

Expo 2020 partners and environmental sustainability efforts

GHG emissions

Expo 2020 partners are taking climate action by setting ambitious GHG emissions reduction goals. For example, Accenture is targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2025, with specific goals to reduce absolute GHG emissions by 11% and its scope 1&2 emissions by 65% from its 2016 baseline. Cisco has also promised to have net-zero emissions by 2040, with near-term goals of reaching net-zero for global scope 1&2 emissions by 2025 and reducing scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030 from its 2019 baseline.

Water consumption

Expo 2020 partners are also working on reducing their water consumption. For example, PepsiCo has reduced its consumption by 21% from 2018 to 2020. The company has also pledged to improve its water use efficiency by 15% in agriculture, and by 25% in operations from its 2015 baseline. It is also hoping to replenish the water consumed in manufacturing by 100%.

Renewable energy

Expo 2020 partners are conscious of the impact of their operations on the environment and thus have been switching to clean energy sources. For instance, both SAP and Mastercard are fully relying on renewable energy, with 100% of their electricity being generated from renewables in 2020.

Waste recycling

Waste recycling initiatives are also key for the Expo 2020 partners. Among the partners, Nissan is a leader, with 96% of its wastes either recycled or diverted in 2020. It is followed by Siemens, with 93% of its wastes recycled or diverted in the same year. Some partners have set other waste recycling goals such as Accenture, which pledged to repurpose or recycle 100% of its e-waste by 2025.

Partners’ contribution to a more sustainable Expo 2020

Siemens

As the Expo 2020 Infrastructure Digitalization Partner, Siemens is helping the expo achieve its sustainability targets by integrating its smart building technology across the expo structures, providing transparency into their energy and water consumption.

PepsiCo

In preparation for the event, PepsiCo has launched Expo 2020 Dubai co-branded Aquafina cans and glass bottles, as well as limited-edition Pepsi cans, which are all fully recyclable. PepsiCo is also collaborating closely with Dulsco, the official waste management partner for Expo 2020, to ensure waste is collected and recycled, supporting the Expo’s waste diversion targets.

Mastercard

Mastercard, Expo 2020’s official payment technology partner, has created an add-on feature to Expo 2020 tickets, which allows visitors to donate to Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition.

Expo 2020 highlights the urgent need to embrace sustainability, which can be observed through the efforts made by the organizers and partners to change their practices to create a more sustainable future. Partner companies have come a long way to achieving their goals in terms of reducing greenhouse emissions, curbing their water consumption, using renewable energies, and recycling their waste. Some had more noticeable successes than others, such as SAP, Accenture, and Cisco, while others are still on the way. Expo 2020 partners, including Siemens, Emirates, PepsiCo, MasterCard, and DP World have also contributed to a more sustainable expo, emphasizing the significance of sustainability to all Expo visitors.

Khawla Khrifi – Business Research Analyst

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Expo 2020 and Environmental Sustainability