Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | DEWA concludes Climate Change & Research in Fujairah, in partnership with Emirates Wildlife Society and WWF

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) concluded the Climate Change Research & Learning Programme (CCRLP), in Wadi Wurayah, in Fujairah, in collaboration with Emirates Wildlife Society and the World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF). Three teams consisting of 22 DEWA employees participated in the programme; part of DEWA’s efforts to raise awareness about climate change, adopt sustainable practices and reduce its environmental footprint, in the country and the region.

DEWA had organized the first visit in April 2017 with young male employees from DEWA, fresh graduates, and members of DEWA’s Youth Council. The programme’s agenda includes scientific research on the impact of climate change on fresh water ecosystems and the UAE’s biological diversification through a number of lectures, panel discussions, and field research activities, under the supervision of environmental experts. The programme also includes field visits to discover the surrounding environment, that provides all participants with a rich and enjoyable scientific experience.

DEWA was keen on introducing the participants to the resilience of fresh water ecosystems and the nocturnal life of bats; ways to locate and identify trees within the Wadi using Google Earth, conducting tree mapping experiments to map out the species of plants in the Wadi. They also learned about the global and regional impacts of climate change, and the mitigation plans to combat it.

“In light of DEWA’s collaboration with EWS-WWF, DEWA launched CCRLP, in Wadi Wurayah, in Fujairah, in cooperation with the Fujairah Municipality. This is part of DEWA’s keenness to have international collaboration to combat climate change, and promote sustainable development, which is based on harnessing knowledge, innovation and green growth to achieve a sustainable future. The programme promotes DEWA’s efforts in scientific research, and finding sustainable solutions to climate change. It also supports the UAE Centennial 2071 to preserve the environment for generations to come, as well as the ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development’ long-term national initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to build a green economy in the UAE. The programme also supports the Dubai Plan 2021 to establish Dubai as a smart and sustainable city, whose environmental elements are clean, healthy and sustainable,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“Due to DEWA’s significant contributions to the protection of the environment and reducing the impacts of climate change, we have been named a key supporter of the Environment Endowment Fund. This fund was launched jointly by the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy (MBRGCEC) and the EWS-WWF, as well as the global vision for endowment, announced by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to encourage organisations to invest in environmental issues, reduce climate change, preserve the environment, and the UAE’s environmental resources,” added Al Tayer.

“The UAE has a rich and diverse natural heritage, and our role at the EWS, is to preserve this heritage and mitigate the effects of climate change on ecosystems. The partnership between DEWA, the EWS-WWF, and Fujairah Municipality to develop this two-phase programme in Wadi Wurayah has played an important role in achieving this. The programme has provided DEWA employees with a unique practical experience, where they interacted directly with nature and learnt about the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, and thus realised their important role in minimising those negative impacts. We hope that their enthusiasm will continue in applying what they learnt, and inspiring others,” said Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, Director General at EWS-WWF.