Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has announced the relaunch of its Carbon Calculator tool to measure the carbon footprint within Dubai’s hospitality sector. The tool has been upgraded to track real-time data for carbon emission sources, helping hotels to identify and manage their energy consumption more efficiently. These improvements are part of the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) initiative, which aims to support the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) 2030.
Since its launch in 2017, the Carbon Calculator has been measuring the carbon footprint of hotels across Dubai, and hotels are required to submit their monthly consumption of nine carbon emission sources, including electricity, water, district cooling, liquefied petroleum gas, landfill waste, recycled waste, petrol, diesel, and refrigerants. This data is aggregated and analyzed to provide industry insights on the sector’s collective carbon footprint.
The tool helps hotels implement initiatives to manage their carbon footprint in line with the 19 Sustainability Requirements put in place to establish a baseline across hotels in Dubai and unify their environmental practices. These requirements include sustainable management approaches, performance metrics, energy, food and water management plans, guest education, employee training initiatives, sustainability committees within hotel establishments, and corporate social responsibility programs for local communities. With the baseline established and consistent tracking of consumption, hotels can identify successful cost-saving opportunities while also contributing to broader clean energy targets and supporting Dubai’s status as a leading sustainable tourism destination.
According to Yousuf Lootah, Acting CEO of Corporate Strategy and Performance sector at Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, improving the internal sustainability operations of hotel establishments will boost the competitiveness of Dubai’s tourism-linked economy. He expressed his pleasure in relaunching the Carbon Calculator as part of the department’s ongoing commitment to supporting the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategy and aligning with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. The upgraded platform also aligns with the UAE’s commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly as the city prepares to host the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) this year. By improving sustainability practices, Dubai’s tourism sector can contribute to broader clean energy targets and enhance the city’s position as a leading sustainable tourism destination.
