The increase in fuel prices in the UAE will directly or indirectly affect all major industries and individuals, but it is up to us, as residents, to decrease the impact of the chain reaction. Industries like transportation, textiles, automobiles and others, in terms of manufacturing and transportation, might end up feeling the cost. This affects the price of daily essential commodities.
The increase in fuel price could also increase food prices, because common people who are doing business are passing the burden to customers, and so the chain reaction continues. So, you can see it is a chain reaction that, once started, has the ability to affect all.
Price hikes in fuel mostly affect low-income earners or fixed salary middle-class families, especially those that choose to drive. So, we need to stop complaining about the rise in price and think of how we can act to improve our situation.
The increase in the number of vehicles also causes a hike in petrol prices. So, the best thing we can do is reduce fuel consumption by using public transport to travel to routine places, like our offices and supermarkets. The use of high capacity transport systems like Metro and abras instead of big cars and carrier vans could help. We could also use bicycles to go to nearby places instead of motorcycles or cars. Cutting off fuel supply or switching the engine off when traffic is halted for long periods will also reduce usage. The authorities should also take this opportunity to invest more into developing alternate sources of energy, like solar energy and the development of biodiesel, as well as more expansive public transport systems.
- The reader is a freelance writer based in the UAE.
