Dubai Marks Earth Hour 2014 with Strong Participation from Residents

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) today announced that the Earth Hour 2014 activities achieved a reduction in the consumption of electricity by 255MW hour, DEWA has been marking Earth Hour for the past six years, achieving a total reduction of 1,036MW/h in electricity consumption and 622 tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions. DEWA’s Earth Hour 2014 celebrations was highlighted by strong participation by the city’s residents, who took part in the Earth Hour Walk held at Bay Avenue Park and switched off lights and non-essential appliances during the designated hour. The largest participation to date for the global initiative, DEWA’s Earth Hour 2014 activities were held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council. The events were organised by DEWA in partnership with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Emirates Wildlife Society, in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature and in cooperation with Dubai Properties Group. The Earth Hour 2014 activities included a series of educational exhibitions highlighting the need to rationalise the use of electricity and water and themed arts and crafts, as well as traditional cooking stations for participants, who were also provided with a number of gifts. The event was a family occasion with a number of activities for children too, including face painting, entertainment and special sessions on environmental conservation to inspire young minds. Ministries, government bodies, businesses, NGOs, universities, schools, and members of society came together to celebrate Earth Hour. This event sends a message to the world about the importance of saving the planet by conserving energy. Dubai residents participated in the activities of Earth Hour by turning off lights and unnecessary electrical appliances from 8:30 to 9:30pm to join millions of individuals around the world. Dubai’s iconic attractions also joined in the Earth Hour activities by turning off the lights for one hour. The Earth Hour Walk, which was held during Earth Hour from 8.30 to 9.30pm, saw thousands coming together with lit candles and lanterns to uphold the need to conserve energy and protect the environment for the benefit of future generations. HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs of Dubai, and a number of officials from government departments and private institutions joined in the Earth Hour Walk, extending Dubai’s solidarity with the global celebrations. “The vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is not limited to the prosperity and well-being for UAE nationals and residents but also on the common good of mankind as a whole. This is highlighted by the support extended to global initiatives to achieve prosperity for people around the world. From this moral standpoint, and to fulfil the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to strengthen Dubai's position as a global trade, finance, tourism and green economy, as well as in line with our vision to be a sustainable world-class utility, DEWA organises the Earth Hour activities in Dubai. This supports global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and environmental pollution, provides sustainable solutions to combat global warming and climate change, promotes environmental protection, conserves natural resources and ensures sustainability for future generations,” said Al Tayer. Al Tayer praised HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, for his patronage of Earth Hour in Dubai, highlighting his support for national initiatives and global efforts to protect the planet. “We organised this event as part of our ongoing efforts to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, which was launched by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy to reduce energy demand by 30% by 2030,” added Al Tayer. “Earth Hour this year achieved strong results in reducing electricity consumption, thanks to our partners from ministries, government departments and private institutions, and significant participation from the various segments of society, which underlines the strong environmental awareness of the residents of Dubai,” said Al Tayer. “The commitment of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and DEWA towards environmental issues is an integral part of the Dubai government's strategy for achieving sustainable development in the emirate, and strengthening its position as a global hub in the field of environmental sustainability,” he added. “DEWA adopts several initiatives on conservation and awareness programmes targeted at different segments of society. We aim to increase awareness on the importance of rational consumption and conserving our natural resources, and ensuring sustainability for future generations,” said Amal Koshak, Senior Manager of Marketing Communications at DEWA. “Earth Hour is not about turning off lights and unused appliances, but has become a central platform that attracts wide attention from the community, individuals and institutions. Its success is a symbolic victory for individuals who are socially responsible and forward-looking to preserve the planet from the adverse effects of climate change,” added Koshak.