Dubai: In an effort to promote a culture of sustainable development among Emirati youth by engaging them in green activities, four 20-foot shipping containers will be turned into self-sustainable bus stops by four teams of 29 Emirati university students as part of the Carbon Ambassadors Programme (CAP).
The programme, which is an initiative of the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (DCCE), in collaboration with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), will be supervised by the global marine terminal operator, DP World, which has provided the containers and allocated $10,000 (Dh36,731) per team for the construction of each project,
The teams, also called Carbon Ambassadors, will be supported by DP World and coached on ways to adapt the containers for urban use.
Commenting on the programme, DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem said educating future generations in sustainable practices and green technologies is an initiative they are keen to support.
“We all have a duty to promote measures to protect the environment and businesses can play a major role as well. By partnering together we make more resources available to help tackle the environmental issues that face the world and we are delighted to contribute to such programmes.”
A green approach to the sustainable generation and consumption of energy of each bus stop is part of the design and implementation of the project. Students are using solar panels, wind turbines, motion sensors, LED lights and other low energy consuming devices and eco-friendly material in their construction. The conversion of the containers is taking place at Dubai International Humanitarian City.
DP World’s involvement in the initiative falls within its overall strategy of reducing the impact of its operations on the environment through innovation, new technologies and behavioural change. The organisation’s strategic partnership with DCCE is a contribution to the efforts shaping the UAE’s path to green economic development.
Since its launch last year, CAP has developed some of the UAE’s finest future Carbon Ambassadors and is preparing to showcase the innovative work of its first batch recruits at the World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2015 in Dubai this month.
