Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of the Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), said that celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the ‘World Earth Day’, which falls on April 22 each year, is an important opportunity to mobilize international and societal efforts for the benefit of environment conservation and to confront the challenges of climate change. He called on the international society to adopt and develop sustainable policies and practices that protecting the planet and natural resources, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Bin Shafar explained that the ‘Climate Action’ plan adopted by the United Nations as a theme for the “World Earth Day” celebration, calls for serious action from the whole world to address the current climate challenges and pay due attention to them. He stressed that the pioneering role of the United Arab Emirates in this regard and its tremendous efforts in achieving the goals of sustainable developments is inspired by the values ​​of late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (May Allah rest his soul in peace), who was a great advocate of the environment and once named by the United Nations as a ‘Champion of the Earth’, in honor of his pioneering role in environmental protection.

He added: “Empower is committed to contribute effectively in achieving the goals of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to align the preparations for a prosperous future with the practical application of sustainable technologies and green economy. We are keen to make our efforts a reflection of the national visions and strategies, most notably the UAE Vision 2021 to achieve a sustainable environment and infrastructure by 2021; the UAE Centennial 2071 to secure a happy and sustainable future for our future generations and promote UAE’s position as the world’s best country in all areas.”

He pointed out that Empower, the world’s largest district cooling services provider, has recorded savings in electricity consumption exceeding 1,224 megawatts and 326 million imperial gallons in desalinated water by the end of 2019. Empower relies on sustainable and reliable technologies in its operations, which contribute to enhancing the sustainability of natural resources for the current and future generations. The Company also uses the most advanced and globally recognized district cooling systems, in line with the vision of UAE leadership to adopt sustainable development, reduce electricity and water consumption by 30%, and make Dubai a global hub for green economy with the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050. Empower is also set to be a key contributor in achieving the UAE Energy Strategy to increase energy efficiency by 40%.