Dubai: Transactions conducted through the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) smart phone apps have helped reduce 8,100 tonnes of CO2 last year, the authority announced on Saturday.
The authority is encouraging more people to use its smart phone and internet channels to carry out transactions like registration of vehicles, renewal of driving licences and a series of other applications that can be processed without visiting the RTA’s customer car centres.
“Each transaction performed online or via smart apps reduces carbon emissions by 15kg, and in 2015, it had managed to reduce 8,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.
The RTA has launched eco-friendly initiatives over the last few years that will help establish green economy.
“Over the past three years, the RTA has accomplished 45 projects and initiatives related to energy and green economy. It has introduced the Green Building Codes and is planning to obtain LEED certification for Route 2020 Project shortly,” said Al Tayer.
He added that the RTA is also seeking to replace all street lights with LED lights by 2030, which would reduce the carbon footprint by more than 3,000 tonnes per annum.
Last year, the RTA launched an electric bus with a battery chargeable up to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes. When fully charged, the bus can travel 200 kilometres.
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 emirate.
In 2008, the RTA introduced hybrid vehicles in its taxi fleet and following the success of the vehicles, the authority plans to replace half of its 10,000 taxis by hybrid vehicles.
Further establishing its green credentials, Al Tayer recently endorsed a project for preparing and implementing the Green Economy Governance Framework.
The move is part of efforts made to leverage the RTA’s agencies and sectors, as well as their partners, to contribute to the improvement of energy and green economy aspects.
The drive is aligned to Dubai’s aim to establish “Green Economy for a Sustainable Development,” launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The initiative covers green energy, government policies, green city, climatic change, green life and green technology.
“The RTA has effectively become the first government body in the region that caters to such a project, which echoes our strategic drive to promote this global concept. The project involves coordination with the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence to chalk out the best green economy practices besides measuring and examining relevant standards,” said Al Tayer.
He said the RTA’s strategy to chart out a governance structure for the green economy would assist the realisation of the objectives of the Sustainable Development Plan 2030 launched by the UN General Assembly.