Dubai has reduced its carbon emissions by 33 per cent, according to the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.
The achievement exceeds by more than double the target set in 2014 to cut output by 16 per cent by 2021.
The Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy 2021 is part of a long-term plan to reduce emissions and was part of Dubai Plan 2021.
Precautions for the coronavirus pandemic will have played a part. As planes were grounded and a lockdown enforced, reduced travel will have had a marked effect on the amount of carbon released into the emirate's air.
"All organisations under the umbrella of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy work together ... to make Dubai a global hub for green economy and sustainable development," said Saeed Al Tayer, vice chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.
Mr Al Tayer said the aim was to "achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 per cent of energy from clean energy sources by 2050, as well as the Dubai Demand Side Management Strategy, which aims to reduce electricity and water demand by 30 per cent by 2030".
"The achievement of reducing carbon emissions by 33 per cent in 2020 shows that we are on the right track to achieve the objectives of becoming a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 to ensure a brighter and more sustainable future for generations to come," he said.
Contributing factors included increasing the share of clean and renewable energy capacity, which is now 11.38 per cent of Dubai’s energy mix, the expansion of district cooling which saved 650 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2020, plus the use of incentives that have increased the use of electric vehicles.
Dubai has a plan for the next 30 years that covers the energy and water sectors, according to Ahmed Al Muhairbi, secretary-general of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.
The achievement of the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy 2021 shows the importance of individuals and organisations working together to fight against climate change, he said.
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