Carbon pricing recommended

Carbon pricing could be one solution in the long run in the UAE, said an environmental expert yesterday.

"Carbon pricing or trading mechanisms will make a difference in the UAE in the long run," said Tanzeed Alam, Climate Change & Sustainability Manager with the Emirates Wildlife Society.

"UAE's ecological footprint reveals that carbon dioxide emissions is the biggest component. In 2006, it was calculated that if every person on the planet lived like someone from UAE, you need six or seven planets to sustain that level of consumption and absorb the waste we produce here. But UAE is setting policies in terms of building design and cleaner sources of energy, in projects such as the Masdar Initiative, in setting up the Emirates Green Building Council in Dubai and Estidama and so on. The challenge is how can we go further. "

He was speaking on the sidelines of a briefing on 'The Mission Green Earth – Stand Up And Take Action 2008,' campaign, which has evoked huge response from the construction industry and developers as well as government bodies such as Dubai Municipality, parks and recreations Department of Abu Dhabi Municipality, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Sharjah Airport Free Zone.

"What will the future world look like increase sea levels rising in terms of coastal developments are one of the gap areas in this region with regard to awareness about climate change. A study is being done in Abu Dhabi on how the environment changes will affect the Emirate," said Alam.

"Ever since the campaign has been launched, we have seen a number of entities in the UAE come forward to take part and this includes many companies from the corporate sector, salient educational institutions, health and hospitality institutions," said Rugmani Prabhakar, country co-ordinator for the campaign.