Dubai Municipality has invited businesses and individuals to take part in its annual Car-Free Day on February 4 to lower city-wide vehicle emissions while commemorating the United Arab Emirates’s (UAE) National Environment Day. Last year, 7,000 employees from 65 government and private organizations participated. The bait they’ll use to incite more action this year? A chance to win another world record as the biggest planetary initiative to create environmental awareness with the largest number of participants. #Only in Dubai.
The municipality’s open invitation to private firms declared, “Your participation will reduce carbon footprint”. True enough, but it also urged participants, “Let’s Walk…Stop Driving”, which is a largely impractical proposition for the 4.1 million people who call Dubai home.
Luckily, the emirate has invested in an impressive mass transit system. Its master plan includes 262 miles of metro lines to be working by 2030 to meet increased use of public transit and urban expansion, according to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
According to statement by Adnan Al Hammadi, Chief Executive of the Rail Agency and Transport Authority, Dubai Metro transported 33.3 million people in Q1 of 2013, a significant increase over ridership in the previous year. The RTA has added feeder bus routes which act as shuttle services to and from major locations in and around each metro station.
Mohamed Al Noori, Director of Corporate Marketing and Relations at Dubai Municipality said that the first Car Free Day launched in 2010 with 1,000 vehicles participating, deducted three tons of carbon emission. “This year we expect to take 7,000 cars out of the roads, deducting 20 tons of carbon emission and our aim in future is to observe Car-Free Day with the participation of all government and private organizations,” Al Noori concluded.
All interested in taking part can e-register on the municipal website; companies must confirm their participation before the end of January while individuals can register until February 3.
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