Consumer behaviour in the consumption of energy will be pivotal in building a greener economy for Dubai, said experts at a recent environmental meeting in the Emirate.

More than 120 delegates participated in the third Green Leadership Series held by the Dubai Green Economy Partnership earlier this week.

The Green Leadership Series (GLS) is organised by Dubai Green Economy Partnership in collaboration with EnPark, Tecom Investments’ Business Park dedicated to fostering the growth of the alternative energy and environmental industries.

Following the opening of the event by Ahmed Al Muhairbi, secretary general of Dubai Surpreme Council of Energy, key note speaker and former TED Talks guest, Alex Laskey, founder & CEO, Opower UK, said behavioural science can be used to lower energy costs across a range of industries.

Using findings from an Opower study, he concluded that the most effective way to lower consumer consumption is by highlighting comparison graphs for their electricity bills, therefore promoting competition.

The discussion centered on agreement that once the infrastructure around sustainable energy solutions is identified and established, there is significant work to do to educate UAE residents so that these systems can be used effectively and efficiently.

The panelists concluded that an integrated approach with a combination of improved information, economic incentives and other benefits may drive consumers towards sustainable decisions. Reinforcing this sentiment, representatives from the RTA highlighted the importance of the new Dubai Tram, making the point that time saving can be as an important a reason for passengers to prefer public transport over vehicles.

Waleed Salman, chairman of Dubai Green Economic Partnership, chairman of Dubai Carbon and vice president of Strategy and Business Development at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said: “The Green Leadership series is a vital platform for proactive discussion about the UAE’s sustainability efforts. Dubai has a unique position among global cities leading the transition to a green and sustainable economy due to its accomplished business strengths and advantages.

“At Dewa we aim to achieve organisational excellence in providing services to customers according to the highest quality standards, supporting Dubai’s position as a global hub for finance, business, and all other fields.  Dewa encourages its customers to use the various electronic services it offers and learn about how to use them.

“Using Dewa’s electronic and smart services helped eliminate 11,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2013 as a result of Dewa’s customers conducting 3.3 million transactions online and through the smart app. This amount of carbon dioxide is the equivalent amount that could have resulted from customers travelling to and from Dewa’s offices. This equates to planting 56,331 trees in an area equivalent to 106 football fields,” Salman added.

Fahad Al Gergawi, CEO of Dubai FDI and secretary general of Dubai GEP said: “The Green Leadership Series is unique in bringing together industry experts from across the sustainability sector to discuss how to further the UAE’S green economy through identification of opportunities, analysis of trends and private sector participation in shaping future policies.

“To grow and facilitate green consumer choices, financing tools must be developed, established and communicated. The first step in this process is to encourage stakeholders including selected suppliers and financial institutions to collaborate so that we can create an effective model.”

Marwan Abdulaziz, executive director of EnPark and founding member of the Green Economic Partnership said: “Consumer confidence has never been higher, as a recent Nielson survey ranked the UAE as the most optimistic in the Middle East and Africa region. We must use this confidence to positively impact our country in promoting a greener future.”

“Small changes to our everyday life can make a significant impact. If we continue to educate and inform others how not only Government and organizational changes can affect our carbon footprint, but every individual, then together we will achieve our goals to become a green and sustainable nation,” Abdulaziz concluded. – TradeArabia News Service