Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has called on residents in the emirate to take part in Eart Hour, for the ninth consecutive year.

 

It is being organised in partnership with the Dubai Supreme Council, and in partnership with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS), in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and with the support of Dubai Properties Group.

 

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive officer, said: “Dubai marks the annual Earth Hour event in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, to strengthen the leading role Dubai plays in supporting global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse-gas emissions that cause global warming and climate change.”

 

Earth Hour activities begin from four pm on March 19, encouraging people to switch off unnecessary lights at 8:30 pm. 

 

Various private organisations, universities and schools will take part in the event, which will feature a host of family-oriented and entertainment activities to raise awareness about the environment, and promote the rational use of electricity.

 

“We are happy to be uniting with 7,000 cities from around the world to observe Earth Hour, which is the largest environmental event worldwide. Dewa is a major contributor to Dubai’s efforts to raise environmental awareness. This supports its vision of becoming a sustainable innovative world-class utility," said Al Tayer.

 

"Dewa has implemented several conservation and awareness programmes and initiatives, targeted at different segments of society. We aim to increase awareness of the importance of rational consumption and conserving our natural resources, ensuring sustainability for generations to come,” he said.

 

“We encourage active participation in Earth Hour by all Dubai’s residents, to enhance the Emirate’s participation in initiatives that enhance public awareness about environmental issues, to support sustainable development locally, regionally, and internationally,” added Al Tayer.

 

Arif Mubarak, CEO of Dubai Properties Asset Management (DPAM), said: “Since the initial launch of this international activity in Dubai in 2008, along with several other pioneering environmental initiatives, we are proud to be an official environmental ambassador of Earth Hour. 

 

"We are honoured to have hosted this initiative for the third time. The event will take place at Bay Avenue Park, Business Bay, which is one of our most prestigious locations. This reflects our efforts to limit the growing effects of climate change.”

 

In co-operation with the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (DCCE), Dewa recently launched the Carbon Neutral initiative to neutralise of carbon dioxide emissions as a result of Earth Hour, to zero per cent. 

 

This will be achieved by adopting the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) across all Dewa’s projects based on the Kyoto protocol, which is directly-linked to the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change. - TradeArabia News Service