PHOTO
With Dubai hosting COP28 later this year, a new report revealed that 75% of UAE residents think human intervention can solve global warming with the help of technology.
Findings from the ‘Environment Action in the UAE’ report indicated that residents have already been playing their part in contributing towards a positive change, with around half of the survey's respondents stating they regularly used recycling facilities, and another 7 out of 10 people who recycle regularly stating they do so despite not living within a reasonable walk to such facilities.
The poll by YouGov and communications firm duke+mir surveyed 1,000 people across the UAE, which further revealed that 3 in 10 people upcycle their products, with a similar number of people shopping with sustainable verified brands.
In 2018, the UAE set out a goal to recycle 75% of waste, which was further supported by the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031, aiming to move towards reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.
“The biggest challenge that cities face at a global scale is climate change. This highlights the significance of implementing measures that reduce the impact on the environment when planning and building urban areas, encompassing even small-scale interventions such as implementing effective urban recycling practices to incorporating urban greenery in streetscapes and buildings,” Fatma Abdulla Ibrahim Al Khayat, Urban Planning Specialist at Abu Dhabi Executive Office, says in the report.
Transport also emerged as a key marker of individual action in the UAE, with 25% of respondents stating they use public transport or carpool for their commute, while another 24% said they are already driving hybrid or electric vehicles.
The survey also highlighted areas of concern, with 7 in 10 people saying they did not use any water or electrical savings devices at home, while 52% of UAE residents saying they felt climate change was inevitable.
(Writing by Bindu Rai, editing by Seban Scaria)
