UAE joins 178 countries to observe Earth Hour at 8.30pm

Dubai - Earth Hour - which is organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, when 2.2 million local homes and businesses turned off their lights to make a stand without climate change.

 Tonight, Dubai and Abu Dhabi will join cities in 178 countries around the globe to go dark for an hour at 8.30pm, switching off lights and power and cutting down on the use of desalinated water, which causes enormous emissions of carbon.

Earth Hour - which is organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, when 2.2 million local homes and businesses turned off their lights to make a stand without climate change. The following year, Earth Hour became a global phenomenon, with over 400 cities in 35 countries around the world participating.
The event has continued to grow ever since. This year - which marks the tenth edition of the event - 7,000 cities and communities in 178 countries are expected to join. According to Earth Hour organisers, to date Earth Hour has powered more than 530,000 individual actions to help tackle climate change.

"The world is at a climate crossroads," said Siddarth Das, executive director of Earth Hour Global. "While we are experiencing the impacts of climate change more than ever, we are also witnessing a new momentum in climate action transcending borders and generations."
"Earth Hour reminds us that while people are on the frontlines of climate change, they are also our first line of defence," Das added. "Our actions today, as individuals and the global community, have the power to transform what the world will look like for generations to come - the time to act against climate change is now."
Earth Hour is especially relevant in the UAE, which has some of the highest per capita consumption rates of water and energy in the world.
According to statistics from the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa), an average resident of the UAE consumes 550 litres a day, compared to the global average of between 170 and 300 litres. In terms of electricity, locals consume 30-40 KHw per day, more than twice the global average of between seven and 15.
To mark the occasion, landmarks across the UAE - among them the Burj Khalifa, the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace and the Al Majaz Waterfront - will be joining hundreds of other iconic landmarks around the world in turning off non-essential lights.
For the third time this year, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) will be hosting Earth Hour activities in Bay Avenue Park between 4pm and 10pm.
Dewa's commitment to reducing carbon emissions has been adopted as part of our environmental strategy which focuses on limiting emissions and providing a clean environment for the people of Dubai," said Dewa CEO and MD Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer ahead of the event.
Dubai has already made massive strides in reducing electricity use over last several years. According to Dewa statistics, between 2009 and 2015, Dubai saved 1,163 GWh of electricity and 5.4 billion imperial gallons of water - the equivalent of Dh752 million and over 536,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
Many local companies have also have pledged to do their part by spreading awareness among employees and holding their own Earth Hour events.
Emirates Global Aluminium, for example, held a campaign with calls-to-action driven through posters, emails and SMS reminding all employees to participate in Earth Hour. On the last day of every month, the company also holds "Beyond Earth Hour" events in which they cut non-essential emissions for the day. The savings achieved from March to December 2015 amounted to 96,971KWh.
"We act as guardians of the environment and consider this an investment in helping us achieve our aspiration for a better future," said managing director and CEO Abdulla Kalban. "Earth Hour is a perfect opportunity to encourage positive behaviours."
According to Earth Hour Organisers, the event "aims to encourage an interconnected global community to share the opportunities and challenges of creating a sustainable world."
In keeping with that goal, in addition to switching off non-essential lights, residents are being urged to switch on "their social power" by donating their social feeds, changing their profile pictures using a custom-made Earth Hour filter, and using the hashtag #ChangeClimateChange. "Social media knows no physical boundaries and neither does climate change," said Siddarth Das. "A simple action on social media is the kind of powerful statement that can excite friends and communities to be a part of the climate action we need to take on this global challenge," he added.
"As more people sign up for the campaign, an increasing number of individuals will be able to see how climate action starts with each of us, here and now," Siddarth Das said.
Every drop counts
> Time your shower to be five minutes or less. Taking even a minute or two off your shower time can save up to 680 litres per month
> Wash fruits and vegetables in a pan and not under running water
> Don't use running water to thaw food, defrost it instead
> Turn off the tap when you lather your hands while washing
> A drip of leaking water every second adds up to 20 litres per day
> Use a dishwasher only when it is fully loaded to save water
> Check toilets for leaks every year as they tend to be silent
> Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, you can save up to 15 litres a minute
Source: Federal Electricity and Water Authority
bernd@khaleejtimes.com   

• UAE