RTA supports and enhances the UAEefforts in the field of Green Economy

Dubai, Aug 13, 2013 (WAM) - The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) stressed its continuous keenness to participate in the promotion of unremitting efforts exerted by the UAE government regarding the establishment and foundation of a green economy, which includes many of the various fields of life, including sustainable transport, green cities. The green economy also aims to create a clean and sustainable environment which will place the State in general and the Emirate of Dubai in particular, in the ranks of advanced countries and cities globally in this field. This came during a lecture organised recently by the Green Economy Committee at the Authority in cooperation with Rail Agency and the Corporate Technical Support Services Sector and delivered by Australian expert Prof. Peter Newman, Director of Sustainable Policies Institute and Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University in the Australian City of Perth and publisher of more than 15 books on sustainability and green economy. The lecture was held under the title: (Transportation and Green Cities for a Green Economy.) The lecture was attended by a number of the Authority's staff and representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations that are implementing green economy initiatives in the Emirate of Dubai, including Dubai Municipality, the Dubai Supreme Energy Council, Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (DCCE), TECOM, Dubai Metro operator (Serco), CDM Smith. Commenting on the lecture, Abdullah Al Madani, CEO of the RTA Corporate Technical Support Services Sector said that providing sustainable means of transportation to society especially mass transportation such as the metro, public buses and marine transportation, represents a paramount importance in the promotion and consolidation of the principles of sustainability and green economy and the integration of green cities, thanks to the great role, played by public transportation in the daily life of global communities so that they become a way of life for individuals of all segments of society and an indispensable tool in today's world. Al Madani added that the Roads and Transport Authority is always keen on supporting and strengthening the efforts of the United Arab Emirates in general and Dubai in particular with regard to the field of green economy, sustainable development and a clean environment. During the lecture, Peter Newman tackled a number of important and vital topics, which affect the daily life of the individual and society with regard to the sustainability of cities and means of mass transportation and the green economy, these topics constitute major challenges to the world in light of the increasing numbers of private cars, factories and plants, raising the proportion of carbon footprint causing environmental pollution, which causes in turn damage to public health. Newman said: There is no doubt that the adoption of measures to be applied in the creation of sustainable and green economy cost much, but not to take any action costs even more and the delay in decision-making in this area certainly will cost more and more, so it has become incumbent upon the competent authorities in the countries of the world that are taking quick steps forward to achieve this noble goal, that affects people's lives directly. He added: Greenery and green surfaces play a vital and crucial role in mitigating the environment and its cleaning of all elements of air pollution caused by car exhausts and factories in addition to the dust resulted from sand storms, as well as beauty and attractiveness which are being added by the greenery and green surfaces to the cities in general. Peter Newman highlighted the experiment of the United Arab Emirates in this field including Dubai Sustainable City and Masdar City in Abu Dhabi which are considered the firsts of complete sustainable and green cities globally in addition to the experiments that Emirate of Dubai is working on achieving in particularly the launch of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park with a total cost of (12) billion dirham which started to be implemented in the second quarter of last year. He stressed that such strategic initiatives would support sustainable development plans in the United Arab Emirates and provide practical experience in the conservation of natural resources and protect the environment from pollution. Newman pointed out that such initiatives will increase the diversification of the energy resources of the United Arab Emirates, work on the development of expertise in global energy markets and enhance its leading role as a global hub for research and development in the renewable energy sector. The Australian expert also highlighted the pioneering experiment of the Roads and Transport Authority in the mass transportation field in a record time, in which the Emirate of Dubai was placed in a leading position among the modern cities of the world in the field of mass transportation and necessary infrastructure to it, the Emirate was also able thanks to the unremitting efforts of the Authority and the unlimited support of the Government of the Emirate to attract increasing numbers of transport users of the population, visitors and tourists, and this is an excellent indicator of the growing culture of using public transport and promote the efforts of the Government of the United Arab Emirates towards sustainable development and the green economy. Prof. Peter Newman called on liberalisation of what he referred to as (private cars slavery) and head towards using public transport or bicycles or even walking especially of short and medium distances that result in health benefits and also environmental benefits which help create a healthy, green and sustainable environment. On the sidelines of the lecture, a meeting between Professor Peter Newman, Engineer Abdul Aziz Malik, Chairman of the Higher Committee of the MENA Centre for Transport Excellence was held during which they discussed ways of mutual cooperation between the centre and Sustainability Policy Institute at Curtin University in Australia. At the end of the lecture, members of the green economy committee at the Authority took Prof. Peter Newman in a tour to the Authority Expo where the Australian guest expressed his admiration of the projects and Authority's plans and its efforts towards achieving a quantum leap in sustainable transport not only at the level of the Emirate of Dubai but at the level of the region and the world. On the other hand, Abdullah Al Madani, CEO of the Corporate Technical Support Services Sector and acting Chief Executive Officer of the Rail Agency presented an honorary shield to Prof. Peter Newman on this occasion and thanked him for delivering this lecture stressing at the same time on the Authority's preparedness to establish strong relations with the Australian Curtin University in the scientific research fields especially those related to sustainable transportation and development and green economy. – Emirates News Agency, WAM