Thursday, 23rd Apr 2009
By Razan Al Mubarak, Managing Director, EWS-WWF
It was Earth Day on 22 April, an important annual occasion on which over a billion people around the world will unite to take action to protect the planet. Earth Day came less than four weeks after Earth Hour, an event where a billion people in thousands of cities turned off their lights to “vote” for action to combat global climate change. Though it is well intended symbolic initiative, the sad reality is that action for one day (or even one hour) cannot and will not, offset the huge impact that we have upon the environment, nor will it make a lasting difference to an issue as pressing as climate change. However, in the spirit of these global campaigns, I urge all of us, to make a lasting commitment beyond that of Earth day or Earth hour and join heroesoftheuae.ae.
Heroes of the UAE is a platform encouraging action everyday to combat climate change by saving energy and using natural resources more wisely. Moving beyond intent, to action and participation.
It is encouraging that people are beginning to show a growing awareness about these issues, the challenge lies in ‘walking the talk’ and implementing simple actions on a daily basis, which together will make a huge difference. This requires participation across every level of society – individuals, businesses and government. The Emirates Wildlife Society, in association with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF) and the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, is addressing this through the ‘Heroes’ campaign. Created to tackle our high ecological Footprint, rising demand for energy and climate change, this campaign aims to inspire people in the UAE to save energy and be less wasteful in their consumption of natural resources.
Why should we care? The world is facing an ecological credit crunch, where we are using natural resources (energy, timber, fibre, food, fish) faster than our planet can replace them. And unlike the economic crisis, when nature goes bankrupt, there is no bail-out! In the UAE we have the highest per capita ecological footprint on Earth (with 80% of our Footprint due to carbon dioxide emissions, mainly from energy consumption). In footprint terms, if everyone lived like an average UAE resident, we would need 4.5 planets to supply our demand for natural resources. We are also the fifth largest per-capita consumer of energy in the world - 7 times the global average – and due to rapid growth and development; the country will soon face an energy crunch, where energy demand is predicted to exceed supply. Climate change will also bring some severe impacts, with the UAE facing scarcer freshwater, hotter summers, more intense storms, flooding and rising sea levels.
While it is easy to feel disconsolate and fearful about the scale of the challenge, it is important to realize that the power is in our hands to make a difference, for us but also for our children- after all a sustainable UAE and planet is every child’s right. It is believed that more than 20% of electricity consumption in UAE households is simply wasted. Saving energy through personal behavioural change is a crucial step and the ‘Heroes’ campaign highlights simple energy actions that we can implement at home or in the office. These actions make no difference to our ‘lifestyles’ but do require repetition and just some thought to make a daily habit, such as turning off water heaters when we go out. Or to turn our A/C up by 2-3 degrees, to use energy efficient light bulbs that last ten times longer, to switch appliances off at the plug and by running our washing machines at a 30-degree cycle. Such simple changes are not symbolic gestures, but highly impactful and significant actions when carried out collectively and accumulated. Moreover, implementing these tips will save you money. An average two bedroom apartment implementing these simple actions could save as much as 2,200 dirhams per year, with even greater savings possible within larger dwellings.
The business community also has a crucial role, and in coming months, our campaign will be encouraging businesses to adopt practices to lower their energy consumption and carbon footprint. A growing weight of evidence is proving that it makes sound economic and environmental sense for the business community to combat climate change. For example, the WWF climate savers programme has resulted in global brands, such as Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Nike, Coca-Cola and Nokia, reducing their carbon footprints and saving millions of dollars in the process. Is the UAE business community ready to step up to the challenge and do the same?
UAE governmental institutions also have an important policy and practice leadership role to play, and the Heroes campaign is already working in partnership with a number of departments to improve energy efficiency and curb rising energy demand. But the scale of the challenge is immense and more must be done; we must all play our part and work together. A recent McKinsey study Pathways to a Low Carbon Future, to which WWF contributed, showed that combating climate change makes good economic sense and that investments in energy efficiency actually provides net positive economic results. Encouraging steps are also being taken by UAE federal and local governments through initiatives such as green building codes, renewable energy via the Masdar initiative, development of public transport systems and the bid to host the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). These steps highlight that our climate and energy challenges can be creatively tackled via a basket of approaches and sectors working together to improve energy efficiency and develop cleaner energy supply, industry and transport sectors.
Our campaign will develop with time and highlight that no matter who you are or where you are, at school, the office or at home, each one of us has the opportunity to make a positive and measurable contribution. We are providing a number of tools and outlets to educate and inspire people throughout the UAE to take part, including educational information on the website www.heroesoftheuae.ae; an opportunity to pledge to join a community of committed energy savers; case studies that document how people and communities are reducing their carbon footprint; as well as public events, such as lectures and workshops, to bring communities together to learn and share experiences.. The website’s unique online carbon calculator allows people to calculate their household carbon footprint and provides specific energy saving recommendations and equivalent financial savings, one can make by implementing these changes.
Confucius wrote; “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” and I urge all of us to take this first step and join heroesoftheuae.ae. Without a doubt, in the UAE we need everyone to make an ongoing commitment to implement the simple energy saving tips of the ‘Heroes’ campaign every day, far beyond Earth Day (and even Earth Hour). We must all seize the moment using Earth Hour and Earth Day as stark reminders of the global nature of the issues and the responses taking place worldwide. If we do not take collective action now, the risks we face from the ecological credit crunch and climate change will directly affect our lifestyles and that of our children even more so. Climate change knows no boundaries and will affect us wherever we are (UAE or otherwise). So please show your commitment by going to www.heroesoftheuae.ae and pledge your support. The power is in your hands – save energy, save our future.
