Dubai: Over 60,000 cars in four emirates are expected to keep off the road on February 4 with three more municipalities joining Dubai’s Car Free Day initiative this year.
Civic bodies in Al Ain, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah will also participate in the annual environmental campaign of Dubai Municipality, a senior official announced at a press conference on Wednesday.
Hussain Nasser Lootah, director-general of Dubai Municipality, said the door is open to all municipalities of the UAE to participate, as it is no more a local event and has become a role model for protecting the environment and reducing the carbon footprint at the UAE level.
“One day, we want the whole of the UAE to have a day free of cars,” he said, welcoming the other municipalities’ plan to observe the day.
The idea behind this ninth edition of Car Free Day, Lootah said, is to educate the people to use mass transport and reduce the use of cars.
Despite the availability of various mass transport services, there is an increase in the number of cars plying on the roads, he pointed out.
“We need to do something about it. At least one day, we need to avoid using cars and reduce the environmental pollution.”
Asked how the residents in the other emirates where mass transport network is not as developed as in Dubai would participate, he said: “I’m sure they have different ways to do it.”
Impact on climate change
Lootah said the initiative has had an impact on reducing the carbon footprint which causes climate change.
With employees of around 200 organisations and 2,444 individuals taking part, he said, nearly 60,000 vehicles were ditched during the eighth Car Free Day, “which is equivalent to a reduction of about 174 tonnes of carbon emission that may necessitate the cultivation of 1,218 trees to dispose it of”.
It was 33 per cent higher than their number in the 2016 initiative, which was estimated at 45,000.
With the officials and residents from three more municipalities expected to participate, he said over 60,000 vehicles are likely to be off the road on Car Free Day this time.
Each vehicle with a full tank fuel size of 15 gallons, Lootah said, emits nearly 140kg of carbon dioxide into the air.
“Thus the amount of total emissions [from such a vehicle] annually would be about four tonnes and this emission contributes towards global warming.”
This means, if you drive a small car from International City to Deira, roughly 20km, you will use up 1.3 litres of fuel emitting 2.35kg of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If it is in a four-wheel drive, your car will emit over 7kg of carbon dioxide.
Humble beginning
Dubai had started the initiative in 2010 with just 1,000 vehicles kept away from the streets by the officials and employees of the civic body.
Over the years, the number of organisations and individuals participating in the campaign saw a massive increase.
Ali Ebrahim, deputy director-general of Dubai Economy, said the department would encourage its officials and businesses in Dubai to participate.
Major-General Obaid Mehayar Bin Surour, deputy director-general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), said 3,000 officials and employees of GDRFA are expected to ditch their cars for public transport on the day.
Officials said participants should register through the municipality’s website www.dm.gov.ae
Social media contests will be held to give away prizes to winners.
How to participate
Register your details on www.dm.gov.ae
Ditch your car on February 4
Use the metro/bus/water taxi
Ride bicycle or carpool with friends
Your car’s carbon emission in 20km
Size of car Fuel consumption Average carbon emission
Small car 0.05 litres/km 2.35kg
4WD 0.14 litres/km 7.04kg
Source: Dubai Municipality
