Abu Dhabi firmly on road to a greener future: paper
Date
9/28/2016 3:59:09 AM
(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
ABU DHABI, 28th September, 2016 (WAM) -- A UAE newspaper has said that the second Greenhouse Gas, GHG, Inventory Project released by Abu Dhabi's Environment Agency highlights the synthesis the emirate is achieving in its goal of reducing carbon emissions and its part in the global fight against climate change.
In an editorial on Wednesday, Gulf News said, "The report points a 16.3 percent increase in GHGs between 2010-2012 owing to population growth and economic development, with the energy sector taking up 74.1 percent of GHGs emissions in 2012.
"The 16.3 percent increase was commensurate with the population growth between 2010 and 2012, the emirate's population increased by 15.4 percent. Of the 74.1 percent emissions in the energy segment, electricity and water (27 percent) and oil and gas (21.8 percent) take up significant percentages, with transport and manufacturing comprising the rest.
"The significance of the report lies in its clarity and purpose. What these numbers actually mean is that they are the convertibles for aiming for a shrinking carbon footprint. For example, Abu Dhabi's green cover, including mangroves, absorbs around 6 percent of the total carbon dioxide emissions every year. The findings and the apportioning of causes are critical in policy planning and segue seamlessly with the overall national strategy of moving towards an environmentally sustainable future, that is part of the Abu Dhabi Plan 2020. The UAE's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals was fully articulated when it deposited the instrument of ratification for the Entry into Force of the Paris agreement last week.
"The road ahead is clear: By 2030, Abu Dhabi is working towards a potential 40 per cent reduction in emissions. Plus, the country's nuclear energy programme is expected to lead to a saving of 12 million tonnes of emissions annually. Fact-finding missions such as these reports contain the seed of the future," concluded the Dubai-based daily.
WAM/Esraa