Dubai Can, the city-wide sustainability movement launched in February this year by HH  Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, has seen a reduction in the usage of single-use plastic bottles tuned to an equivalent of more than 3.5 million 500 ml bottles, according to a statement released by the Department of Economy and Tourism. 

During the last six months, 46 fountains have been installed in various locations across the city, including public parks, beaches and tourist attractions, with the help of the initiative’s stakeholders, sponsors and partners, it said. 

Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director, Tourism Development & Investments, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism said, “In line with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a sustainability champion, the Dubai Can movement has made remarkable progress during the last six months. We could not be prouder of this achievement. While encouraging residents and visitors to commit to a paradigm shift in their lifestyles, this initiative has a larger goal: creating a city that is the world’s most visited and the best place to live and work in, as envisaged by the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.”

“The strength of the city’s public-private partnership is essential to realising the Dubai Sustainability Strategy. As we look forward to the campaign’s continued success, this excellent collaboration model will propel Dubai Can to greater heights as we strive to achieve every single sustainability goal of Dubai,” said Lootah.

Transforming mindsets

Since the campaign’s launch, the movement has extended far beyond the fountains themselves, with people across the city encouraged to purchase refillable bottles for use at the fountains and in their homes and hotels, the statement read. Many private companies have invested in water fountains for their offices to discourage employees from using single-use plastics in their workspaces. 

The Dubai Can initiative aims to bring about a mindset change in how the city’s residents and visitors view sustainability, starting the transformation at the individual level and then progressing to the level of community, city, nation, and beyond. 

According to the release,  as many as 750 stakeholders, sponsors and partners from both the government and private sector, including Accor, Adventure HQ, Al Serkal, Dell Technologies, Atlantis, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai International Financial Centre, Dollar Car Rental, Dubai Islamic Bank, DMCC, Dubai Holding, Dubai Festival City, Dubai Municipality, Dubai World Trade Centre, Electrolux, Emirates NBD, Emaar, Etisalat, Goumbook, Gulf Marketing Group, Grundfos, Huawei, Majid Al Futtaim, Merex Investment, Nakheel, Pepsico, PWC, Radisson, Roads & Transport Authority, Shamal, Talabat; and media partner Arabian Radio Network, have come forward to support the initiative.