Let's Turn The Tide 🌊🎙️

In this episode of Let's Turn the Tide by Veolia in the Near Middle East, we are in Abu Dhabi with Helder Daravano, CEO of Magma. Together with our host Nadine Zidani, they discuss why hazardous waste management is a strategic enabler of industrial growth rather than just a disposal cost.

They take a closer look at MAGMA, the UAE's leading integrated hazardous and radioactive waste treatment facility. Located in Ruwais and established as a joint venture between Veolia, Tadweer, and Vision Invest, the facility combines specialized treatment with resource recovery, turning certain waste streams into valuable raw materials.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• What hazardous waste is, why it matters, and why it requires specialized treatment
• Real-world examples of hazardous waste and how some of it can be recovered, reused or recycled
• How MAGMA treats hazardous waste and what makes its integrated approach different from traditional waste treatment facilities
• How innovation is transforming hazardous waste management
• How hazardous waste management supports the UAE's sustainability ambitions and broader goals across the region
• Why responsible hazardous waste management matters for businesses

🎧 Listen to Let's Turn the Tide on all major podcast platforms.📌 Subscribe for more conversations on sustainability in the region.

In this episode of Let's Turn the Tide by Veolia in the Near Middle East, Nadine Zidani sits down with Alexandre Rio, Waste Management Expert at Veolia in the Near and Middle East, for an in-depth look at one of the most misunderstood infrastructures in the world: the landfill.

From the science of leachate and biogas to regulation, Alex breaks down what modern landfill management actually looks like - and why getting it right matters far more than simply moving away from landfills altogether. Veolia currently operates 8 out of 12 landfills in Oman, and is actively capturing biogas and converting it to electricity across 3 sites in the region.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• What a sanitary engineered landfill is and how it differs from a traditional dump site
• The three non-negotiables for Veolia to operate a landfill: proper design, execution, and operation
• How leachate forms, why it's dangerous, and how it can be treated and reused
• How captured landfill gas is converted into electricity, heat, biomethane, and even a CO₂ commodity
• Regulation on landfills
• Landfill end of life and reconversion
• 3 key pillars to reduce landfill dependency

🎧 Listen to Let's Turn the Tide on all major podcast platforms. 📌 Subscribe for more conversations on sustainability and environmental solutions in the region.

In this episode of Let's Turn the Tide podcast by Veolia in the Near Middle East, we sit down with Christine Hecht, PhD researcher at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. Together with host Nadine Zidani, Christine unpacks her Veolia-supported, nationwide research into how UAE residents actually perceive and practice recycling - and why the common claim that "no one recycles here" doesn't hold up.

Her study breaks UAE residents into three groups - current recyclers, lapsed recyclers, and those who've never recycled - and reveals just how close all three are to becoming committed recyclers.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• What UAE residents really think about recycling
• The main factors that influence recycling habits in the UAE
• Simple sorting tips to improve your recycling habits
• How recycling supports resource security and the UAE's circular economy - not just environmental goals

🎧 Listen to Let's Turn the Tide on all major podcast platforms.

📌 Subscribe for more conversations on sustainability in the region.

In this episode of Let's Turn the Tide by Veolia in the Near Middle East, we are in Dubai with Renaud Capri, CEO of Enova, a regional leader in energy and facilities management. Together with our host Nadine Zidani, they explore how energy efficiency, one of the fastest yet most underestimated levers for climate action, is being put to work across the Middle East to deliver the same performance with far less energy. At the center of the conversation is the Super ESCO model and Enova's partnerships with entities like Tarshid in Saudi Arabia, which are turning national net-zero ambitions into measurable results on the ground in airports, universities, hospitals, malls, and more.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• The hidden energy waste happening behind the scenes in everyday buildings
  
• How GCC countries are cascading net-zero commitments down to every governmental and private organization
  
• The Super ESCO model and how it finances large-scale energy efficiency projectsWhat's really driving private companies to invest in energy efficiency today
  
• How AI and Enova's Hubgrade digital platform are unlocking energy savings with minimal investment
  
• The Veolia × Majid Al Futtaim joint venture model and how it became a regional growth engine
  
• 3 key steps every organization should follow to implement energy efficiency successfully
  
• Why the region's biggest energy savings potential is still ahead of us
  

🎧 Listen to Let's Turn the Tide by Veolia in the Near Middle East on all major podcast platforms.

In this episode of Let’s Turn the Tide by Veolia in the Near Middle East, we are in Muscat, Oman with Suaad Al Harthi, Executive Director of the Environment Society of Oman, and Huda Al Harthy, Marketing and Communications Manager at Veolia in Oman.
Together with our host Nadine Zidani, they discuss how environmental education can help shape long-term sustainability in Oman and the role of partnerships in turning awareness into action. At the center of the conversation is the Namat School Program, a nationwide initiative engaging public schools across Oman to encourage sustainable practices among students, teachers, and communities.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• Oman’s environmental priorities and key sustainability challenges
  
• How the Namat School Program empowers students to lead environmental initiatives
  
• Why awareness and behavior change are essential for sustainability
  
• How partnerships between NGOs, government, and the private sector drive long-term impact
  
• Real examples of student-led projects and their impact
  
• How youth can become ambassadors for sustainability within their communities

In this episode of Let’s Turn the Tide by Veolia in the Near Middle East, we are in Riyadh with HH Princess Mashael AlShalan — a leading voice in sustainability in the Kingdom and Co-Founder and Managing Director of Aeon Collective, a cross-disciplinary Waqf (non-profit endowment) advancing sustainable practices for inclusive, equitable, and resilient development.
Princess Mashael brings over 15 years of professional experience spanning sustainable development, climate action, environmental conservation, and economic development. She also serves as Chairwoman of Women Energy, the first Saudi non-governmental organization dedicated to increasing women’s participation in the energy sector.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• Why sustainability narratives must reflect local identity and lived experience
• How to build truly inclusive dialogue for climate action
• How national pride can become a positive force for sustainability
• The Tree Library concept and how hyper-local action can connect to a global network
• The challenges of protecting biodiversity and the Red Sea’s marine ecosystems
• How women are reshaping the energy sector — and what “leveling the playing field” really means

In this fourth and final episode of our special AI series — a collaboration between Veolia Near Middle East and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi — Nadine Zidani is joined by Dr. Giulia De Masi, Associate Professor and Principal Researcher at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and Adrien de Saint-Germain, CEO of Veolia Water Technologies Desalination. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the future of seawater desalination — making it smarter, more energy-efficient, and more sustainable. From predictive analytics that optimize plant operations to AI models protecting marine biodiversity, the discussion highlights how technology is driving innovation while safeguarding the environment.
 

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

-How AI reduces energy consumption in desalination plants
-The role of predictive maintenance and digital twins in improving efficiency
-How sensors, data, and AI models protect marine ecosystems near desalination sites
-Why combining renewable energy with desalination is critical for the future
-What the next decade of AI-powered water solutions could look like

In this third episode of our special AI series — a collaboration between Veolia Near Middle East and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi — Nadine Zidani is joined by Dr. Clio Chaveneau, Associate Professor of Sociology at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and Rafiq Sid, Program Manager at Veolia Near Middle East.

Together, they unpack how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we sort, manage, and recycle waste — from AI-powered cameras on trucks to robotic arms that can identify up to 60 types of materials. But the conversation doesn’t stop at innovation. They also explore the social, legal, and environmental risks AI introduces, from data privacy to e-waste and energy use.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• How AI is being used to optimize recycling operations.
• The role of data and computer vision in improving sorting accuracy.
• Why collaboration across governments, businesses, and citizens is essential.
• The ethical and ecological concerns raised by smart waste technologies.
• What responsible innovation in waste management really looks like.

🎧 You can also listen to "Let’s Turn the Tide podcast" on Podeo, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

في الحلقة الثالثة من سلسلتنا الخاصة حول الذكاء الاصطناعي — والتي تأتي بالتعاون بين شركة Veolia Near Middle East وجامعة السوربون – أبوظبي — تستضيف نادين زداني كلاً من الدكتورة كليو شافونو، أستاذة مساعدة في علم الاجتماع بجامعة السوربون – أبوظبي، ورفيق سيد، مدير البرامج في Veolia Near Middle East.

معًا، يناقشون كيف يُعيد الذكاء الاصطناعي تشكيل طرق فرز النفايات وإدارتها وإعادة تدويرها — بدءًا من الكاميرات الذكية المثبّتة على الشاحنات وصولاً إلى الأذرع الروبوتية القادرة على التعرّف على ما يصل إلى 60 نوعًا من المواد. لكن الحوار لا يقتصر على الابتكار؛ بل يتناول أيضًا المخاطر الاجتماعية والقانونية والبيئية التي يطرحها الذكاء الاصطناعي، بدءًا من خصوصية البيانات ووصولاً إلى النفايات الإلكترونية واستهلاك الطاقة.

في هذه الحلقة، ستتعرفون على:

• كيف يُستخدم الذكاء الاصطناعي لتحسين عمليات إعادة التدوير.
• دور البيانات وتقنيات الرؤية الحاسوبية في رفع دقة الفرز.
• لماذا يُعدّ التعاون بين الحكومات والشركات والمواطنين أمرًا أساسيًا.
• المخاوف الأخلاقية والبيئية المرتبطة بتقنيات النفايات الذكية.
• وما الذي تعنيه الابتكارات المسؤولة فعلًا في مجال إدارة النفايات.

In this second episode of our special AI-focused series — brought to you in partnership with Veolia Near Middle East and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi — Nadine Zidani sits down with Dr. Samuel Feng, Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and researcher at the Sorbonne Center for Artificial Intelligence.

This conversation dives into the growing conversation around Green AI — the movement to make artificial intelligence more energy-efficient, transparent, and aligned with climate goals. Together, they explore the hidden environmental costs of AI, the race to build bigger models, and the groundbreaking work of projects like DeepSeek.

In this episode, you will gain insights on:

• Why AI training, not usage, is the real energy burden.
• How data centers and model scaling threaten climate targets.
• What DeepSeek tells us about efficient AI design.
• How incentives need to shift to prioritize sustainability in tech.
• Whether a truly “green AI” future is even realistic.

In this first episode of our special AI-focused series of Let’s Turn the Tide — brought to you in partnership with Veolia Near Middle East and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi — host Nadine Zidani sits down with Prof. Nathalie Martial-Braz, Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

This conversation opens up a fresh perspective on how artificial intelligence works — and what it means for the future of human decision-making, especially in the Middle East. Together, they explore how to stay critical, informed, and empowered in an AI-driven world.

In this episode, you will gain insights on:

• How to distinguish between AI myths and realities in public discourse.
• Why understanding legal and ethical frameworks around AI is urgently needed.
• The responsibility of education systems in shaping critical thinking around emerging technologies.
• How different regions, including the Middle East, are responding to the global AI conversation.
• Why a human-centric approach to AI is essential for sustainable innovation.

Want to see the faces behind the voices? You can watch this episode on YouTube.

About the Host:

Nadine Zidani is a sustainability expert, impact entrepreneur, and founder of MENA Impact, the first platform for sustainability resources in the MENA region. Based in the UAE, she is committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and driving systemic change through her work and public speaking.

Follow Nadine Zidani:

• Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok
• MENA Impact Website

About Veolia:

Veolia's ambition is to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with nearly 218,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful and concrete solutions for water, waste and energy management that help to radically change the game. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia contributes to developing access to resources, preserving available resources and renewing them.
Follow Veolia Near Middle East:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Twitter (X)