United Development Company (UDC), a leading Qatari public shareholding company and master developer of The Pearl-Qatar and Gewan Islands, is partnering with nongovernmental organizations and private and public institutions to clean up Porto Arabia Seabed at The Pearl-Qatar.

The Pearl-Qatar Seabed Cleanup campaign, which marks World Cleanup Day, National Cleanup Day, and World Water Monitoring Day, is taking place on the 2nd of November 2019, in collaboration with Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), and other partners. The campaign will feature professional divers and is expected to attract participation from both residents and visitors to The Pearl-Qatar.

The event’s partnership was announced at the Oyster Building, The Pearl-Qatar, on October 24, 2019 in the presence of representatives from all participating parties.

This event falls in line with UDC’s commitment to promoting environmental awareness, within the framework of the Company’s wider strategy and previous initiatives that are based on national and global sustainability principles.

The event reflects the support of QRCS with regards to different socially beneficial activities. QRCS valued the initiative by UDC, under the Company’s corporate social responsibility, as well as the partnership in various humanitarian projects for the vulnerable in many countries.

It is worth mentioning that the volunteers are proving the genuine spirit of the Qatari society, every day, via serving their country and preserving the local environment. It is a national commitment adopted by the State of Qatar as one of the four pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030. Qatar is one of the world’s leading countries in terms of pollution reduction and addressing the negative impact of climate change.

The event highlights UDC's multifaceted waste management and recycling strategy and environmental initiatives. This includes Resident Recognition Program, which acknowledges residents who actively recycle waste through The Pearl-Qatar’s Community Newsletter and other social media platforms.

The Pearl-Qatar’s coastline spans 32 km, with a mixture of sandy beaches, rock revetments, and sea walls. Ronautica Middle East – one of UDC’s subsidiaries – transports residents and visitors around the Island using electric water taxis.

It is worth mentioning that the diverse environment of The Pearl-Qatar is a home to over 98 species of aquatic animals, 23 species of birds, and 14 species of wildlife species.

A total area of 515,000 m2 of The Pearl-Qatar is softscape, including 66 different species of trees, shrubs, flowers and grass. Over 10,000 trees and 70,000 plants have been planted since the construction works began on the Island.

To reduce energy consumption, Qatar Cool seeks to cut cooling electric consumption by 50% compared to conventional air conditioning, ensuring the release of no harmful refrigerants into the atmosphere.

UDC also installed collection points and charity donation boxes in strategic locations at The Pearl-Qatar. Since April 2018, collection points have been added to over 34 locations across The Pearl-Qatar, with additional collection points being continually added to encourage all residents to re-use and recycle.

As a result of UDC’s recycling program for its offices, over 10 tons of paper and 4 tons of plastic are recycled per year. For the month of August 2019, 650 kg of paper and 304 kg of plastic bottles cardboard were recycled. This is the equivalent of 258 trees or 108,368 gallons of water.

UDC’s strategy, which aims to raise awareness of the significant role that recycling plays in preserving the ecosystems, is executed on all UDC’s ongoing and planned projects, as well as the Company’s day-to-day operations. Among these initiatives, UDC promotes paperless transactions, utility optimization, smart lighting, and the collection and recycling of paper and plastic bottles across all its offices.

UDC, the master developer of The Pearl-Qatar and Gewan Islands, is a leading Qatari public shareholding company with a mission to identify and invest in long-term projects contributing to Qatar’s growth and providing good shareholder value.

Established in 1999, the Company was first listed on the Qatar Exchange in June 2003 and cover a multitude of vital investment sectors including real estate development, property management, infrastructure and utilities, maritime and hospitality related businesses.