UAE unveils first Green License to attract global eco-driven enterprises

Dubai: The UAE has introduced its first Green License, offering a range of benefits for eco-conscious businesses and accompanied by an on-site Green Intellectual Property Office that will draw innovative enterprises from across the world. The announcement was made by Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority, during the launch of the country’s first Green Innovation District at Expo City Dubai.

“We are proud to announce the UAE’s first Green License, providing a host of benefits for eco-conscious businesses, and an on-site Green Intellectual Property Office, which will attract innovative enterprises from across the globe,” Al Hashimy said.

The Green Innovation District, a federal initiative based within Expo City Dubai, is designed to nurture companies driving decarbonisation, circular-economy solutions, and sustainable growth. “We are proud to launch this exciting federal project, the UAE’s first Green Innovation District here at Expo City,” Al Hashimy said. “This pioneering district will take forward these initiatives and many, many more to further Expo City Dubai’s legacy of environmental stewardship to nurture businesses that are driving decarbonisation, circular economy solutions and green growth.”

She said the district will combine light industrial and urban farming plots with commercial spaces to form a sustainable, interconnected community. “It will be a vibrant living ecosystem where economic opportunity and ecological responsibility flourish side by side,” she said.

Al Hashimy noted that Expo City Dubai provides the ideal platform for such initiatives. “Expo City Dubai, a city-wide test bed for nature-first innovations, is the natural home for this groundbreaking initiative,” she said. “Our unmatched commitment to green standards and innovation provides the perfect environment for businesses to trial, scale and succeed, from Terra, our net-zero design centrepiece for biodiversity, livability and conservation, to our powerful global partnerships, we are exemplifying the vast potential of a future-ready urban ecosystem.”

Al Hashimy said the initiative marks a new model for the UAE’s green economy. “Together, we are creating a model for the future, a catalyst for sustainable growth and a place where both business and the environment can thrive,” she said.

Founding partners of this initiative include: 

• European banking group Intesa Sanpaolo, a pioneer in circular economy funding

• Majra, the UAE national corporate social responsibility fund, who will direct environmental projects and innovative enterprises to the district

• Nestle, who will bring expertise in research, development and innovation. 

• Pomade, a Dubai-born innovator that is repurposing date palm waste into sustainable packaging.