A carbon calculator in Arabic will help Dubai residents track everything from food, travel to energy consumption
The carbon emissions of Gulf nations in the Middle East are notoriously high. The UAE has one of the largest carbon footprints per capita in the world and the average citizen in the Gulf produces between two to ten times more carbon than the average global citizen. As such, it’s great to see the Dubai government launch one of the first ever carbon footprint calculators in Arabic to help residents track their green and not-so-green behaviours.
Whilst the Middle East may only produce a small percentage of the overall global carbon emissions (around 5%), these are rising steadily and the Gulf nations are contributing a disproportionately high chunk of the region’s emissions. According to a report by Carboun, countries such as Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have some of the world’s highest carbon footprints. For example, in Qatar the average person produces 55.4 tonnes of carbon a year which is a world chart topping figure.
In the United Arab Emirates, it has been estimated that 57% of the resource consumption comes from household waste. Consequently, helping residents get a handle on their emissions is a great step and making sure it’s easily accessible to locals who speak Arabic is even better. The carbon calculator (which is also available in English) is not the most complex carbon calculator I’ve seen but it’s definitely a start. It looks at basic things like diet, transport modes, the use of A/C and encourages residents think about the environmental impact of their lifestyles.
Hamdan Khalifa Al Shaer, Director of the Environment Department told the Khaleej Times, “It is about time residents knew how exactly their daily activities affect the environment and address their lifestyles in aspects of food, housing, mobility and consumption of goods. With the help of the website, everyone, especially children, can accordingly put their lifestyle components in front of them and see their footprints.”
So give the carbon calculator a whirl and remember to pass it on to Arabic speakers too.
For more on the carbon footprints of the region see:
We Measure One Family’s Hajj Carbon Footprint
Carbon Emissions Double In MENA Over 30 Years
UAE To Cut Electricity & Carbon Emissions
Author: Arwa Aburawa
Arwa is a Muslim freelance writer who is interested in everything climate change related and how Islam can inspire more people to care for their planet and take active steps to save it while we can. She is endlessly suspicious of all politicians and their ceaseless meetings, especially as they make normal people believe that they are not part of the solution when they are the ONLY solution. Her Indian auntie is her model eco-warrier, and when Arwa is not busy helping out in the neighborhood alleyway garden, swap shopping or attempting fusion vegetarian dishes- with mixed success, she’d like to add- she can be found sipping on foraged nettle tea.
Laudable initiative, yes, but when one knows that the waste is the result of the gov subsidising electricity so much that it’s dirt cheap it becomes risible. Why not just start fading out the subsidies so that Emiratis finally understand they’re wasting a valuable, finite and expensive resource the way the rest of the world does?!
That sounds like a wise plan.
Wow,it is very thrilling to hear that Dubai has Launched Arabic Carbon Calculator.