Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has rolled out its "Zero-Emissions Public Transportation in Dubai 2050" strategy.
With this strategy, RTA aims to contribute to mitigating climate change and minimizing its carbon footprint across three areas: public transportation, buildings and related facilities, and waste management.
The new strategy is aligned with UAE's preparations for COP28 and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.
RTA noted that the strategy is consistent with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to consolidate the emirate’s status as one of the world’s top urban economies.
The primary objectives include the decarbonization of all taxis, limousines, and public buses, designing buildings with near-zero energy consumption, sourcing energy from renewable sources, and eliminating municipal waste by sending zero waste to landfills.
The strategy will result in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 10 million tons and realizing financial savings worth 3.3 billion dirhams ($898 million) in comparison to current operations.
"The new strategy outlines a comprehensive approach to sustainability within RTA. Its primary objective is to enhance sustainability and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, it contributes to realizing RTA’s mission of achieving global leadership in smooth and sustainable mobility through innovative roads and transport services that elevate the customer experience to world-class standards," said RTA Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors Mattar Al Tayer.
"The new strategy encompasses ten initiatives, covering various RTA sectors and agencies, in addition to partnerships with the private sector that contribute to implementing the strategy over five years. The strategy will review, adjust and align future goals with changing circumstances."
RTA's Board of Executive Directors reflected on various aspects, opportunities, and challenges associated with the new strategy and its implementation.
These include the costs of novel green technologies, the distribution of targets and their review over time, the importance of the availability of energy technology providers, particularly for electric buses and hydrogen fuel production stations, and other factors that contribute to the execution of the new strategy.
RTA has recorded significant accomplishments in sustainability. From 2014 to 2022, its energy and green economy initiatives have contributed to saving electricity by approximately 360 gigawatt-hours, and water savings of 300 million gallons, as well as saving around 88 million liters of gasoline, and 10 million liters of diesel. This is equivalent to avoiding 416,000 tons of equivalent emissions, yielding savings of approximately 420 million dirhams.
