DEWA: public and private unify on sustainable efforts
During Earth Hour, the private and public sector in the UAE unify to highlight the importance of sensible use of electricity and water.
In 2008, Dubai became the first Arabian city to observe the Earth hour initiative, one of the largest around the world. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) observes Earth Hour every year, promoting environmental awareness to the community, supporting global efforts to cut carbon emissions, find sustainable solutions for global warming and climate change, and to protect the natural resources to ensure sustainability for generations.
Public and private organisations in Dubai are committed to participating in Earth Hour each year, by turning off the lights in their buildings and encouraging employees to do the same by turning off any unnecessary lights and electrical appliances on the last Saturday in March.
“Thanks to the vision of our wise leadership, Dubai has become a global role model for endorsing environmental causes and supporting global efforts in mitigating global warming. Dubai was the first Arab city to observe Earth Hour in 2008, which underlines its leading role in hosting and supporting initiatives that raise public awareness on environmental issues. Earth Hour goes beyond turning off unnecessary lights and appliances for 60 minutes. It aims to enhance environmental responsibility and encourages all of us to adopt a sustainable lifestyle,” commented HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
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Significant savings in Dubai during Earth Hour 2019
As a result of Earth Hour, DEWA reported a saving of 267MW in electricity consumption in 2019, an equivalent to a reduction of 114 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
This year, Al Tayer urges customers, employees, and all members of society to stay at home during Earth Hour in compliance with the directives of the UAE authorities to limit the spread of COVID-19, and to turn off unnecessary lights and electric appliances during Earth Hour to raise the awareness on carbon emission reduction and preservation of natural resources.
This can be done by reducing the use of electricity and water, and collaborating on the environmental risks to ensure a more sustainable future for generations to come.
“Community-oriented initiatives are key to the progress of the country’s sustainability agenda in line with the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021. The UAE runs a host of initiatives aimed at boosting public contribution to its climate action and environmental protection efforts. A prime example is Earth Hour that is widely observed in the country. In addition to cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, the occasion raises awareness about the importance of reducing the country’s per capita carbon footprint,” said HE Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment.
“Our participation in Earth Hour goes beyond energy savings, it has symbolic implications that highlight the strategy of Dubai. This strategy is about promoting renewable energy among the society and using the latest lighting systems in different areas to save the biggest possible amount of energy. This proves our capability to make positive changes for the current generation and ensure a brighter future for generations to come,” added HE Abdulla Al Basti, Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai and Vice President of the Asian and East Asian cities in the C40 Steering Committee.
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