FLEXIBLE HOURS AND COVERED WALKWAYS MAY HELP IMPROVE DUBAI’S AIR QUALITY
▶ City environment chiefs want more motorists to ditch their cars but ‘congestion charge’ is not on the horizon
Dubai will encourage flexible working hours and build more shaded walkways to improve air quality, officials said this week.
This month, the emirate signed an international agreement to introduce policies to reduce pollution. The public will be able to view reports on the project’s progress.
City chiefs are keen to urge more people to leave their cars at home and instead use bicycles, footpaths or public transport.
Samira Al Rais, senior director for sustainable development at the General Secretariat of Dubai’s Executive Council, ruled out the introduction of a European-style congestion charge.
She said authorities hoped to persuade the public through awareness campaigns and improved infrastructure, rather than punitive charges.
“We have a directive from the leadership not to increase fees for residents,” Dr Al Rais said.
“We are supporting the economy and investment in Dubai. In addition, we want to have a happier city.”
The emirate is working towards a federal government target of achieving clean-air days 90 per cent of the time by 2021 – meaning pollution remains below certain thresholds.
Dr Al Rais said significant progress was being made, with air quality often recorded as good by the city’s own measurements, which are published online in real time.
But she did not dispute less-flattering statistics, such as those in a recent report by Greenpeace, which said Dubai was the third most polluted Middle East city.
The research found that levels of PM2.5 – airborne particles of a certain size – were more than five times the levels recommended in World Health Organisation guidelines. The tiny particles increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.
“We accept it, because if there is a fact, we accept the fact and work towards improving that,” Dr Al Rais said.
“Any resident, any visitor
can check the air quality direct from the [municipality] website and plan the day. We have a good monitoring system.”
The emirate signed up to the C40 Clean Air Cities Declaration this month at a summit in Copenhagen. Signatories agreed to work towards meeting the WHO guidelines for air quality and new policies will be in place by 2025.
Habiba Al Mar’ashi, chairwoman of the Emirates Environmental Group, said it was a “great joy” to see Dubai sign up to the pledge.
“I think this new development is reflective of how serious the UAE leadership is about upholding the commitments made in the Green Growth Strategy and to be a valuable part of international treaties such as the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.
The strategy was published by the federal government in 2012 to promote environmental responsibility and technologies, while maintaining economic growth.
“I’m happy to see that Dubai is considering unconventional measures to improve air quality as well as more conventional measures that focus on increasing engagement with the environment,” she said.
“That a congestion charge, the likes of which has been introduced in London has been ruled out, I believe is indicative of how Dubai as a unique city will adopt unique ways to deal with this issue.”