Ras Al Khaimah has been awarded Silver Certification under EarthCheck’s Sustainable Destinations program – the world’s leading scientific benchmarking and certification for tourism destinations. The emirate is the first destination in the Middle East to earn recognition of this level for sustainability.
The certification process is underpinned by EarthCheck’s in-depth scientific criteria and also involves meticulous monitoring, benchmarking, and auditing across 10 sustainability indicators – from energy and water consumption to waste management, carbon footprint analysis and community engagement.
Ras Al Khaimah’s sustainability certification is all the more significant considering the challenges posed by the region’s climate, calling for a more robust approach to managing energy and water consumption than most in order to meet EarthCheck’s stringent requirements.
The Silver Certification comes ahead of the United Nations’ climate change conference COP28, to be held in the UAE in late November. The conference agenda this year will focus on achieving the global emissions reduction target of 43 per cent by 2030.
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) Chief Executive Officer, Raki Phillips, said that achieving EarthCheck’s Silver Certification reinforced Ras Al Khaimah’s ambition to become the UAE’s and the region’s sustainable tourism leader by 2025.
“This landmark achievement amplifies our commitment to sustainable, balanced, and purpose-driven tourism industry growth and aligns with our ambitious goal of welcoming over three million visitors by 2030” Phillips said.
EarthCheck founder and Chief Executive Officer, Stewart Moore, said Ras Al Khaimah’s Silver status would bolster and enhance its tourism industry and its business operators locally.
“The destination management commitments and sustainable tourism guidelines not only provide a strategic framework to drive and foster action across the community and industry, but they position Ras Al Khaimah as a regional leader in sustainable tourism.
“Embracing sustainable principles will ensure that Ras Al Khaimah’s unique environment and rich culture can be both fostered and protected as the tourism industry continues to grow. EarthCheck looks forward to being an active partner in this journey.”
