Dubai achieved significant results in reducing electricity use during Earth Hour 2020. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) recorded savings of 178 megawatts (MW) in electricity consumption in the Emirate, equivalent to a reduction of 74 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. People in Dubai joined millions of people around the world in expressing their solidarity with efforts to address the threats posed by global warming and climate change, by turning off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances during Earth Hour, which the world observed from 8:30-9:30pm on Saturday, 28 March 2020, with the theme ‘Raise Your Voice For Nature.’ Dubai’s landmarks and government and private buildings also took part in the event by turning off their lights for an hour.
“DEWA has been organising Earth Hour since 2008, in accordance 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 Executive Council of Dubai. Earth Hour aims to raise awareness in society and underline the importance of the sensible use of resources. It goes beyond just turning off unnecessary lights and electric appliances for 60 minutes. Earth Hour aims to make conservation of electricity and water a daily practice to cut carbon emissions and combat environmental challenges such as climate change, global warming, and the unprecedented reduction in biodiversity,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
Al Tayer commended the results achieved during Earth Hour in Dubai every year and the commitment of all society segments, and government and private organisations in Dubai to take part in it. This raises awareness on the importance of conserving the consumption of electricity and water. It also highlights the importance of climate work in making positive change and supporting global efforts to cut carbon emissions.
The conservation programmes and initiatives launched by DEWA between 2009 and 2019 have achieved cumulative savings of 2.2 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity and 7.8 billion gallons of water. This is equivalent to saving AED 1.3 billion. Those savings are equal to the consumption of 327,000 apartments in electricity and 250,000 apartments in water annually. These savings contributed to reducing 1.137 million tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to planting 1.3 million trees and consuming 134 million LED bulbs. The water savings are also enough to fill 14,000 Olympic swimming pools.