RTA Dubai and UNDP to share information on green economy

Dubai / WAM

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has discussed with Frode Mouring, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNPD), the UAE, a host of issues of common concern including strengthening bilateral co-operation.
The two parties also tackled sharing of information and knowledge, and benefiting from UNDP in the fields of green economy and public transport consultancies in view of the rich experience of the programme worldwide.
Attendees included Mohammed Al Asmawi Head of Programme UNPD, Nasir Hamad Abu Shehab, CEO of RTA Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, and a host of RTA officials.
Al Tayer stressed the RTA’s unwavering commitment to the highest standards of green economy as reflected in plans of Dubai and the UAE in this regard. He also pointed to the importance of consultancies and exchanging information about public transport, project management and other vital fields.
“Earlier this year, the RTA charted out a plan for the Preparation and Implementation of the Green Economy Governance Structure as part of its efforts to leverage the RTA’s agencies and sectors, as well as partners, to contribute to the improvement of energy and green economy aspects under a concerted and integrated drive. Such endeavours are part of the implementation of the initiative of Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum themed: Green Economy for a Sustainable Development. The plan has six drivers namely: Green Energy, Government Policies, Green City, Coping with the effects of climatic change, Green life, and technology and Green Technology,” Al Tayer explained.
Mouring expressed his delight at the meeting, sharing information and exchanging viewpoints between the UNDP and the RTA in Dubai.
Over the past three years, the RTA has accomplished 45 projects and initiatives related to energy and green economy. It has introduced the highest standards of Green Buildings aligned with the highest global standards, and is seeking to replace all streetlights by lights using LED technology by 2030, which will reduce the carbon footprint by more than 3000 tonnes of carbon per annum.
The RTA has also piloted the operation of a bus powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), and another project for measuring the carbon footprint of vehicles in Dubai.
In 2008, the RTA had successfully launched the trial run of environment-friendly hybrid vehicles, and efforts are underway to beef up the hybrid vehicles fleet to as much as 50 percent by 2021.
These vehicles are characterised by carbon emissions as low as 43 percent compared to other vehicles, according to experiments made by the RTA. In keeping with the government drive to bring happiness to people, the RTA has launched the Smart Phone Service, which
has played a pivotal role in
conserving the environment as the customer saves about 28 km per transaction processed through smart apps or online, which translates into reducing
carbon footprint by 10 KG per transaction.