Mansoor bin Mohammed honours winners of 14th Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport as entries surge 400%

Dubai: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee, honoured institutions, entities and individuals who won the 14th Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport (DAST). An initiative of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the award seeks to advance the principles of sustainable transport and encourage government and private sector entities, as well as individuals, to adopt global best practices in sustainable transport, integration, innovation and smart mobility. It also promotes innovative solutions that enhance safety and protect the environment. His Highness Sheikh Mansoor was received on arrival at the award ceremony at Dubai World Trade Centre by His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, along with dignitaries and senior officials from ministries, authorities, institutions, companies and entities participating in the award. The Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport 2026 attracted more than 750 applications, marking a 400% increase. Of these, 158 applicants qualified for the final evaluation, representing a 140% increase. Entries were received from 45 entities in nine countries, alongside 460 individual entries from 22 countries, reflecting the award’s growing reach and the diversity of efforts by institutions and individuals to advance sustainable transport. His Highness and the audience also watched a film about the Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport. Highlighting the role of sustainable transport in keeping pace with urban expansion and supporting economic growth, the film showcased RTA’s efforts to develop an integrated public transport system, smart solutions and environmentally friendly vehicles. It also highlighted their contribution to reducing emissions, improving energy efficiency and enhancing quality of life. Future of mobility Tony Seba, an entrepreneur, author and expert on technology disruption, delivered the keynote address, titled ‘The Economics of Disruption and the Future of Transport’. He explored the profound transformations reshaping the world as modern technologies advance at an accelerating pace, examining their impact on economic sectors and ways of life. Seba explained that major transformations are being driven by falling technology costs and faster adoption. He cited forecasts he made in 2014 on the rapid growth of solar energy, lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles, noting that these developments had materialised faster than he had anticipated. Simultaneous transformations He said artificial intelligence and autonomous electric vehicles are set to fundamentally transform the transport sector through the emergence of a new model known as Transport-as-a-Service (TaaS). Built around fleets of autonomous vehicles, the model presents far-reaching opportunities to reshape cities, businesses and commerce. Seba drew a parallel with New York City’s historic transformation between 1900 and 1913, when automobiles replaced horse-drawn carriages and fundamentally changed transport and urban life. He added that the world is undergoing simultaneous transformations across energy, transport, food, materials and labour, creating exceptional opportunities to reshape economic and social systems. Seba noted that Dubai is at the forefront, with the strategic capabilities to lead these shifts and make a significant leap towards more advanced future systems, drawing on its ability to anticipate the future and embrace innovation and modern technologies. Inspiring high-impact solutions His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer said the Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport embodies Dubai’s vision of making sustainability and innovation key drivers of transport and mobility development. He added that the award encourages government and private sector entities, academic institutions and individuals to develop high-impact solutions that help build more sustainable and resilient cities, enhance quality of life, and keep pace with the rapid transformations reshaping the global transport sector. His Excellency said: “The significant growth in participation in the 14th edition reflects the award’s growing profile and its expanding role as a platform for exchanging best practices and experiences in sustainable transport. The diversity of the winning projects also reflects the sector’s rapid evolution and the use of modern technologies, artificial intelligence and clean energy to develop practical, scalable and deployable solutions.” Key contributors Al Tayer also stressed the importance of investing in young people and harnessing their ideas to help shape the future of mobility. He noted that the participating student projects demonstrate a strong awareness of future challenges