Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy initiative, Masdar, has laid the cornerstone of its Dollars $22bn carbon-neutral, waste-free city, a project it hopes will become a blueprint for sustainable development around the world.

Oil-rich Abu Dhabi said its investment in the city will come as part of $15bn (€10.3bn, £7.7bn) it has earmarked for a broad range of alternative energy projects beyond Masdar City, such as solar and hydrogen power plants and solar panel manufacturing sites, as well as education and research and development.