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Dubai: UAE energy consumption is growing at an average rate of 10 per cent, more than double the global growth of 4 per cent, studies have shown.
Dubai's energy usage growth is the highest in the UAE at 15 per cent, Abu Dhabi is at second with 10 per cent increase, and Sharjah is at 7 per cent.
Dubai's power consumption for 2007 was at 24,756 gigawatts (GW), while system energy requirement equalled 26,030GW. The previous year's figures stood at 21,475GW and 22,272GW respectively.
Average individual electricity usage, according to Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) is 20,000-kilowatt hours per annum.
Conservation
At a conference on sustainable development, Dr Mohammad Dulaimi, coordinator of awareness programmes for Emirates Energy Award, an initiative by the Dubai Quality Group, said, "Our combined efforts are urgently required if we are to overcome this challenge."
He said their company aims to increase awareness among individuals, corporations and policy makers of the importance of energy conservation and maintaining a healthy environment.
Dulaimi also called for the establishment of a national scheme to encourage and adopt productive suggestions and ideas that further develop the country's typical strategy on sustainable development.
He said that comprehensive development is not limited to the construction sector, but includes all aspects of life, which must be addressed for the sake of society.
"The implementation of sustainable development in its comprehensive framework is the ideal solution for such crises in the construction sector as shortages in building materials, the delays in property handovers, shortage of skilled labour," Dulaimi said.
He added, "Sustainable development is a global concern, but if we focus only on one side of this concept, we will soon find ourselves facing a crisis similar to that caused by the energy generating obsession that led to the destruction of food for energy generating purposes, thus jeopardising food security and leading to a series of sharp hikes in food prices."
UAE has recently joined the group of nations using nuclear energy to meet its energy demands, announcing its plans to produce nuclear energy locally, as an economical and ecologically friendly alternative to using fossil fuels to meet the country's soaring energy demands.
This initiative is set to contribute to sustainable development in the country.
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