Dubai to remove all public transport carbon emissions by 2050

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has endorsed a long-term plan to have zero emissions of public transport in Dubai by 2050. (WAM)

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has endorsed a long-term plan to have zero emissions of public transport in Dubai by 2050. (Dubai Media Office)

• The plan will enable RTA to lead as the first government agency in the MENA to develop an integrated roadmap targeting public transport
• It also aims to support the UAE’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change to reduce emissions in the UAE by 23.5% by 2030

DUBAI: Dubai will have zero carbon emissions from public transport by 2050, according to a plan published on Monday.
The emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said it aims for all buses and taxis to be electric or powered by hydrogen.
Nasir Bu Shehab, CEO of the RTA’s Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, said the authority is planning for a sustainable and environmentally-friendly public transport system.
“Such a drive contributes to curbing climate change and supports the long-term national initiative,” he said.
The plan also aims to support the UAE’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change to reduce emissions in the country by 23.5 percent by 2030.
Bu Shehab said the roadmap includes expanding the use of electric and hydrogen vehicles within the fleet of public transport buses, school buses, taxis and limousines, to reach “100 percent by 2050”
The authority will also increase the use of clean energy, such as solar power, in the authority’s buildings and facilities. 
The RTA plans to complete an energy-efficient smart road lighting project by 2035.
The roadmap estimates to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and will save around 3 billion dirhams by 2050.