CAIRO: In an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of Dubai, the city's Dubai Carbon Center of Excellence (DCCE) has inked an agreement with Emirates Group to develop low-carbon activities for operation in Dubai, the country's official WAM news agency reported. “Representatives of the Emirates Group and the DCCE met at the headquarters of DEWA to officially launch a strategic collaboration on greenhouse-gas reductions for the company, which consists of Emirates Airline, Dnata and other associated business units,” the report stated. The goal is to move Dubai, which is among the top 5 cities for carbon emissions globally, into a more sustainable environment. “This MoU reflects our commitment to the green economy that was announced earlier this year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai under the theme ‘A Green Economy for Sustainable Development',” said Vice-Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE)Saeed Mohamed al-Tayer. “This initiative will support efforts across the nation to protect its environment by reducing carbon emissions through a mechanism for carbon trading internationally within the European Union Carbon Trading Program,” he continued. “The MoU will serve as a framework agreement towards developing low-carbon activities. The Dubai Carbon Center of Excellence will provide its expertise on carbon to support Emirates. A number of projects are being explored as part of the MoU; including energy-efficient lighting for Emirates Group accommodation buildings, solar hot-water systems and waste-to-energy technologies,” added Tayer. The Dubai Carbon Centre is also mandated by the Dubai Government to develop the Greenhouse Gas Inventory, or carbon footprint, for the Emirate of Dubai. As a strategic initiative by the DSCE, “it will be the first of its kind in the region and enable the government to establish a baseline on present day emission levels and track changes in the years to come,” WAM said.
