Since last week, more than half a million households in the neighbouring Southeast Asian countries have been hit by torrential rain and flooding
asia2 hours ago
The tool has been developed by the partners in the Al Basma Al Beeiyah (Ecological Footprint) initiative to support sustainable policy-making by providing decision-makers with analysis on how different policies can help lower the UAE’s Ecological Footprint.
“When faced with the issue of its high per capita footprint, the UAE is taking positive action,” the Minister said. “There is no better time than today to highlight the urgency for science-based policy work in the UAE. We need to understand and measure the impact of our development in order to implement policies that can effectively tackle our footprint.”
Dr Mathis Wackernagel, President, Global Footprint Network, said: “In contrast to many other countries, the UAE is not fearful of change, but is confident that it can manage and adapt to new realities. We are excited about our partnership with the UAE government and its agencies, and our collective effort to develop tools to help build a prosperous, resilient economy for the 21st Century.”
A statement issued jointly by the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), and the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with World Wide Fund for Nature, (EWS-WWF), said the tool, developed by researchers from the Masdar Institute and EWS-WWF, compares a baseline CO2 emissions scenario with alternative, lower carbon footprint scenarios.
It does this by assessing the effectiveness of different policies to tackle supply and demand of electricity and water. Eventually the tool will convert CO2 emissions into ecological footprint terms and it will also shed light on the impact of these policies on the UAE’s overall footprint.
However, before implementing these policies, the initiative recommends that socio-economic assessments are conducted on the different scenarios.
Ultimately the aim is to generate relevant and robust scientific analysis that government leaders can use to develop targeted policies that can help make the UAE economy more sustainable.
The statement noted that the ecological footprint indicator relates directly to natural resource consumption patterns, and in the UAE, the household, business/industry and government sectors are responsible for 57 per cent, 30 per cent and 12 per cent of the footprint respectively. Over the last two years, the initiative has helped to raise awareness and promote sustainable consumption in these sectors.
It has done this by developing an animation, website (www.ecologicalfootprint.heroesoftheuae.ae), educational materials, awareness and outreach activities and a sustainable lifestyle campaign (‘Heroes of the UAE’), co-developed by EWS-WWF and EAD.
The initiative has also translated the Living Planet Report 2010 into Arabic and developed a complementary insert that highlights its achievements. —
Since last week, more than half a million households in the neighbouring Southeast Asian countries have been hit by torrential rain and flooding
asia2 hours ago
She performed the Levitating X Woh Ladki mashup in Mumbai
entertainment3 hours ago
The parade showcased a majestic military line-up, featuring a blend of traditional and modern elements
eid al etihad3 hours ago
The UAE has an unparalleled ability to make everyone feel like they belong, says Anis Sajan, vice-chairman of Danube Group
kt network3 hours ago
The couple, who tied the knot in 2023, welcomed their first child on November 27
entertainment3 hours ago
Admits to suffering from imposter syndrome during the early days of her career
music3 hours ago
The figures show Hollywood had rebounded from disruptions caused by strikes by writers and actors last year
entertainment3 hours ago
Over 14,000 satellites, 120 million bits of debris in key orbits; tracking, managing clutter crucial to safe orbiting, UN says
europe4 hours ago