Abu Dhabi City Municipality, represented by the Urban Planning Sector, delivered a lecture at the Central Bank of the UAE titled “Green Skills for Youth – Towards a Sustainable World.” This lecture is part of the Municipality’s collaborative efforts and strive for knowledge sharing with its strategic partners, in alignment with the Year of Sustainability 2023.
This lecture comes after the Central Bank invited the Municipality of Abu Dhabi to participate in celebrating International Youth Day. The lecturer, representative of the Abu Dhabi City Municipality, discussed various topics that highlighted the values and importance of sustainability in implementing projects and creating a sustainable world that guarantees a prosperous and integrated future for all. Future generations, enabling them to achieve their aspirations for a better, sustainable life.
The lecture elaborated on concepts such as the distinction between weather and climate, the concept of climate change, and the importance of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) as the decision-making body responsible for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The lecturer also emphasized the valuable contribution of the UAE to this conference through hosting and organizing its activities and highlighted the substantial expected outcomes from this global conference.
The lecturer posed several questions during his lecture including: What are we aiming to become? What should individuals do? How can we establish a balanced consumer culture that fulfills our requirements while avoiding energy and resources wastage? How can we eliminate consumption habits that harm sustainability values? How can we raise consumer awareness and integrate sustainability into our daily decisions and choices?
The lecture provided guidance on optimal electricity consumption and conservation practices, including behaviors such as closing doors and windows, purchasing energy-efficient appliances, turning off bathroom fans, not leaving the water heater on, and switching off lights when leaving a room or a house.
Water conservation measures were also discussed, such as using low-flow showerheads, reducing shower times, controlling water flow, installing water-saving faucets at home, using high-efficiency washing machines, and employing water-saving toilet flushes.
Additionally, The lecturer also expressed how essential it is to refrain from extravagance in food consumption and to purchase an amount of food sufficient for the family members without excess, an act which ultimately compels us to waste food and throw it away. Therefore, this aspect is of great importance in realizing the values of sustainability, and can achieved by freezing surplus food or, at the very least, donating the excess food to public-interest associations.
The lecturer further touched upon the acquisition of green skills, their utilization, and ways for obtaining green jobs, considering the projected increase in demand for such roles.
The lecturer also spoke about the role of the Abu Dhabi City Municipality in maintaining sustainability. The Sustainable Building Section of the Building Licensing Department applies a pearl rating system to evaluate the levels of sustainability in buildings and villas throughout the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, especially since the building and construction sector is responsible for 40% of carbon dioxide emissions.
The detailed application of sustainability requirements and leveraging those to achieve cost-effective sustainable buildings were also thoroughly explained during the lecture.