Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) organised a campaign to plant 5,500 mangroves in the Jebel Ali Marine Reserve, in collaboration with Emirates Marine Environmental Group. This is part of its efforts to engage all stakeholders in making a positive change to preserve natural resources, and in conjunction with World Water Day, which is observed on March 22, and is held this year under the theme “Be The Change You Want to See in The World”. DEWA realises the importance of mangrove trees to preserve biodiversity, especially in the marine ecosystem. The campaign supports national goals to promote the sustainability of mangrove forests by planting 100 million mangrove trees in the UAE by 2030. About 350 of DEWA employees and their families, and employees of some of DEWA’s subsidaries such as Digital X, Moro Hub (Data Hub Integrated Solutions LLC), and Mai Dubai took part in the campaign.

DEWA created an awareness campaign to highlight the importance and ways individuals and organisations can support efforts to achieve sustainability. This is through enhancing water use efficiency and limiting waste. The campaign also introduced the stakeholders to DEWA’s achievements and strategies that align with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, including Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

DEWA’s awareness campaign included publishing tips and instructions for adopting a conscious and sustainable lifestyle, through its internal channels and its platforms on social media. DEWA also organised competitions to motivate employees and customers to contribute to achieving sustainable development. Moreover, DEWA held virtual lectures to raise awareness among students and faculty members in institutions about their role in supporting national and global efforts and climate action. This is by adopting positive behaviour at work and home. DEWA also held awareness activities at Global Village, with its cartoon characters, Noor and Hayat, to introduce children and the new generation to World Water Day.

“We strive to achieve sustainability through initiatives aimed at protecting the environment and wildlife, and fulfilling our commitments to meet the growing demand for electricity and water services according to the highest standards of availability, reliability, efficiency and sustainability. This is part of our vision to become a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation committed to achieving Net-Zero by 2050, and aligned with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development in Dubai. We also strengthen our participation in finding innovative solutions to the challenges facing the region and the world to ensure water security and the sustainability of water resources for our future generations, and raise awareness about water issues, and the importance of concerted efforts to enhance climate action, reduce carbon footprint, and preserve natural and water resources. Implementing the Dubai Demand Side Management Strategy reduced water consumption by 21% per capita compared to 2010. This contributed to avoiding over 14 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in between 2011 and 2021,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“We continue to develop Dubai’s infrastructure to provide the best facilities for the best city in the world, and to enhance Dubai’s position as a global city and a preferred destination for living, working, business and tourism. DEWA’s total production capacity has reached 490 Million Imperial Gallons per Day (MIGD) of desalinated water, including 63 MIGD using Reverse Osmosis (RO). Our expansion plans are based on the demand forecast until 2030, considering the Emirate’s demographic and economic growth. In addition, DEWA provides customers with the necessary tools to enhance the efficiency of electricity and water consumption, including the smart grid and smart meters, in addition to initiatives that enable them to monitor, manage and control their consumption proactively and digitally,” concluded Al Tayer.