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Abu Dhabi / WAM
Najeeb Al Ali, Executive Director of the Expo 2020 Dubai Office, has said that some of the participating countries in Expo 2020 Dubai will begin building their pavilions at the start of April 2018, while pointing out that over 180 countries will participate in Expo 2020. He also expects the Expo to receive 25 million visitors, with 150,000 daily.
In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), he added that the Expo’s infrastructure, the cornerstone of the UAE pavilion, will be built while construction work continues in Al Wasl Square.
He explained that the future use of the site and its sustainable heritage is an important part of its design and construction. The site will be transformed into a sustainable project and business-friendly environment at the end of the Expo, and 80 percent of the Expo’s internal infrastructure, built on a area of 4.39-square kilometres, will continue to be used after the event to host various initiatives and projects, including a free zone, commercial centres and a residential complex, he added, while noting that a detailed study was performed to help determine how to use the site.
With regards to the remaining 20 percent, Al Ali stated that agreements were signed with participating countries that detail the dismantling of their pavilions at the end of the Expo, to be returned to their countries to promote sustainability.
He added that Expo 2020 Dubai aims to support national energy consumption plans, to ensure that 50 percent of the country’s total energy consumption is made up of renewable energy.
Expo 2020 Dubai will also participate, for the third time, in Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, through a sustainable platform constructed from 100 percent recyclable materials.
The Expo also launched the “Leaders of Sustainability” programme during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), and instructed, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, that both public and private schools be encouraged to adopt sustainability initiatives.
Al Ali said that during the programme’s first phase, two schools will be supported by Expo 2020 Dubai, which will install solar panels to contribute to the transformation to clean energy sources, promote the development of sustainable awareness programmes, and strengthen
environmental awareness.
The Expo also provided 45 grants to 30 countries, including 18 grants related to sustainability, he concluded.