Have you heard the carbon message?

Many people in the UAE do not fully understand the implications of their lifestyle to the carbon footprint, poll finds.

We know what elements of our lifestyles contribute most to our outsized carbon footprint and, providing someone makes the science easy for us to understand and use, we are prepared to consider adopting the technology to reduce our personal impact on the environment.

A National/YouGov survey published ahead of the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi finds widespread acknowledgement of the causes of the UAE's large per-capita carbon footprint. Fuel-thirsty cars, nominated by 55 per cent overall, lead the list, followed by excessive property development (47 per cent), air conditioning (46) and a lack of education on environmental issues (36). It is, perhaps, that lack of education that leads to only 12 per cent of respondents identifying one of the main causes of carbon output in the UAE the need for desalination to produce the bulk of the nation's water.

Hi-tech solutions do have some appeal. On the basis that they would recoup the cost of purchase in two years, 48 per cent of respondents say they would be willing to install solar panels on their homes at their own expense. Education again looms as a barrier, however: 15 per cent doubt solar power could meet all their energy needs, while seven per cent say they do not understand the technology. Among Emiratis, this lack of knowledge is expressed by 22 per cent, against zero per cent of western respondents.

It is not without irony that solar awareness is lowest among those who come from a region with the most potential for exploiting solar power. Nevertheless, said Razan al Mubarak, managing director of the Emirates Wildlife Society-World Wide Fund for Nature, "we are very encouraged by the public's support of hi-tech solutions". He said the survey results indicated an opportunity for business and industry to profit from making available energy-efficient, low-carbon goods and services.

The survey also shows a cautious interest in the new breed of environmentally friendly cars, such as the Toyota Prius and Ford's Fusion Hybrid, which is capable of travelling more than 1,400 miles on a tank of fuel and was named Car of the Year last week at the International Auto Show in Detroit. Almost three-quarters of respondents (73 per cent) say that if support services, such as refuelling points, become widely available in the UAE they will consider driving a low-emission or electric or hybrid car.

The only hybrid cars available in the UAE are high-end models from Mercedes and, from January 24, Lexus. BMW will also debut two top-model hybrids here this year. One interesting feature of these responses is that while few people dismiss the prospect out of hand, 21 per cent say they are unsure of the benefits, implying that more widely available information could provide a tipping point for this technology. Again, however, it is nationals who express the least enthusiasm: while 59 per cent say yes to using such vehicles under the right circumstances, more than a third of Emiratis (38 per cent) are unsure.

Respondents were asked what would discourage them from buying such a car, and here there are some surprises. For some, they were too small (17 per cent) or too slow (36 per cent) and, again, the need for education stands out: 42 per cent say they do not understand the technology, 28 per cent do not believe cars pose a serious threat to the environment and 18 per cent feel that a green car would be too much trouble to operate.

Interestingly, however, in a country where large, powerful and expensive cars are widely seen as important personal statements, across all nationalities a lack of prestige was a factor for only 10 per cent of respondents. [e-mail] [e-mail]