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DEWA marks Earth Hour on 29 March to strengthen awareness on environmental sustainability

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) will mark Earth Hour in Dubai on 29 March 2014, at Bay Avenue Park from 8:309:30pm. Earth Hour is under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.

Earth Hour, a global initiative to highlight environmental sustainability and promote the rational use of electricity, is being celebrated in Dubai by DEWA in partnership with Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS). which works in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The celebration is supported by Dubai Properties Group (DPG).

Earth Hour activities in Dubai by DEWA were announced at a press conference held at the Armani Hotel in Dubai attended by Khawla Al Mehairi, Vice President of Marketing & Corporate Communications of DEWA, Arif Mubarak, Group CEO of Dubai Properties Group, Amal Koshak, Senior Manager of Marketing Communications at DEWA, and Ida Tillisch, Acting Director General of Emirates Wildlife Society in Association with WWF.

DEWA encouraged all residents of Dubai to participate in the event, which will be organised at Bay Avenue Park from 5- 8:30pm, and also invited them to be part of the Earth Hour walk, which starts at 8:30pm.

We organise the Earth Hour activities in line with the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 to reduce energy demand by 30% in 2030 and promote renewable energy, and to complement the UAE Vision 2021 to establish the UAE as one of the best nations in the world. Our celebrations reflect the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to promote Dubais sustainable development and underline its status as a global hub for trade, finance, tourism, and green economy, while setting global benchmarks in sustainable development initiatives, said Al Tayer.

Al Tayer praised the role of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in supporting the national and international initiatives to protect the planet. He urged individuals, government departments, and private organisations to participate in Earth Hour to support DEWAs efforts to promote the sustainable development of Dubai. Through the Earth Hour activities, DEWA is upholding the message of environmental sustainability, and encouraging individuals and organisations to adopt eco-friendly practices to conserve electricity and water consumption, and minimise the impact on the environment, added Al Tayer.

Earth Hour is traditionally marked by switching off the lights and appliances not in use for one hour, thus saving energy and also encouraging more people to understand the importance of the rational use of electricity. Al Tayer said that the concept and idea of Earth Hour must become a part of ones daily lifestyle. During Earth Hour 2013, DEWA achieved a reduction of 200,000 kWh of electricity and 120kg of carbon dioxide emissions. The UAE is one of the few countries globally that announces the results of observing Earth Hour. This proves the commitment of our leadership to promote environmental sustainability and encourage people to adopt green practices, said Al Tayer.

Being master developer of some leading destinations and projects in Dubai, we took the initiative to support Earth Hour since it was launched for the first time in the UAE, and we are proud to host the event this year at the Business Bay. Our participation this year is considered a part of DPGs responsibility to reflect our commitment in promoting practices aimed at the rational use of energy and water, not just during Earth Hour, but on a daily basis. We encourage residents across the UAE to join us in raising awareness about climate change, said Arif Mubarak, Group CEO of Dubai Properties Group.

Dubai is today at the forefront globally in promoting sustainable growth. The Emirate has set several ambitious milestones in this regard, including the launch of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and the DEWA Sustainable Building in Al Quoz. Organising the Earth Hour activities reflects our commitment to the Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to promote sustainable development in Dubai, said Khawla Al Mehairi.

It is inspiring to watch various members of the community in the UAE unite together and join the millions of people from all over the world to turn off the lights to prove the effectiveness of Earth Hour every year, to express their desire for the real action and to protect the planet, and put an end to the phenomenon of climate change. In this year, along with the Earth Hour occasion, we invite everyone to take concrete steps by switching to energy-efficient light bulbs to achieve a sustainable future and circulate a clear message emphasising the need to take responsibility for protecting our planet and future generations. Earth Hour is an effective initiative and able to achieve a significant positive environmental change through global collective action, and we look forward to continuing to work with our partners for the success of the effectiveness of Earth Hour in the UAE, said Ida Tillisch.

We've launched our Make the Switch, campaign in the last two weeks before the launch date of Earth Hour activities to provide consumers with some rationalisation tips about electricity consumption. Through our support to Earth Hour, we are also strengthening global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that lead to global warming and climate change. In addition to organising Earth Hour in Dubai, DEWA has launched a series of innovative awareness programmes and campaigns to promote a culture of conservation amongst various community segments. DEWAs campaigns have achieved advanced results in reducing electricity and water consumptions, said Amal Koshak.

Earth Hour in Dubai is one of a series of key initiatives launched by DEWA to strengthen awareness on environmental conservation and building a sustainable future for the Emirate of Dubai. The EWS the official representative for WWF is promoting Earth Hour across the UAE. Individuals and organisations can participate in Earth Hour in Dubai by logging on to www.ewswwf.ae/earthhour

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