Q&A: UAE Minister for Water and Environment

Peter Ward , February 1st, 2010

H.E. Dr Rashid Bin Fahad, UAE Minister for Water and Environment talks to Utilities-ME.com.

How big a problem is water conservation in the UAE?

The UAE is trying to raise awareness regarding water conservation due to the relationship between water and energy in the UAE where our desalinated water is cogenerated with electricity. This cogeneration of energy and water consumes fossil-fuel based energy (mainly gas), releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which increases our carbon footprint and exacerbates climate change. In Abu Dhabi alone, desalination capacity has increased by 360% between 1998 and 2007.

The UAE has the highest per capita Ecological Footprint in the world, meaning that if everyone in the world lived and consumed like an average UAE resident, we would need 4.5 planets to supply that level of consumption. Over 80% of the UAE’s Footprint is related to carbon dioxide emissions, mainly due to energy consumption. Thus conserving energy and water can help to reduce the UAE’s Footprint.

Our per capita water consumption is another reason for concern, being three times the global average. We are also wasting some 250 litres of our daily consumption and this can be minimised by implementing the simple tips on www.heroesoftheuae.ae.

The UAE is also facing a water crunch, where there is risk that demand for water could outstrip supply by 2012, due to gas shortages. Increasing supply is only part of the solution and managing demand through water conservation also has a crucial role to play.



What more can the UAE do to conserve water?

People can:

Take a 5-minute shower instead of a bath
Turn off the tap whilst brushing my teeth, shaving, doing dishes
Drop a water saver in the toilet tank
Fix leaking pipes and taps promptly
Wash your car with a bucket and sponge instead of a water hose
Water plants early morning or late evening when the sun is not at its peak
Use native plants in landscaping
Allow the Government to install water saving devices

What is the long term water strategy for the UAE?

The Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi is one of the founding partners of the heroes of the UAE campaign which aims to raise awareness about water consumption and encourage people to change behaviour.

EAD and Adwea will also be installing water saving devices for free in mosques, schools, commercial and government buildings, and households throughout 2010 in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. These devices will reduce the water consumption of the Emirate by 30%, and will have a significant positive impact on the environment.

How big a part does desalination play in that strategy?

Increasing supply of water via desalination is only one part of the strategy and an equally important part is managing demand. Improving water efficiency via behavior change is an essential first step, and we can all play our part by joining heroesoftheuae.ae

How can the message of water conservation be best put across to the public?

Changing the behaviour of a nation is not easy. The region and the UAE have low levels of environmental awareness. This campaign is helping to address this awareness gap.

It is important to raise public awareness of the problem by presenting facts and figures about where their water comes from, how much they are consuming, the environmental implications of this overconsumption and educate them about how they can save water at home. More information is available online at www.heroesoftheuae.aeEngaging people via outreach activities and events is also important. So far the heroes campaign has already reached out to people across the UAE via over 30 events – big and small. There will be more such events so I would encourage people to participate in these and start to organise their own awareness activities in their local communities.

Track how our household consumption changes as a result of implementing behavioural and technical changes and use this evidence to communicate to other households to do the same.



What are the major challenges facing the water sector of the UAE currently?

One of the major challenges we face is getting the message of water conservation out to the millions of people that live in the UAE. We need all the help we can get from the media and the public to promote our message. We need to educate the public on why we can’t just salienate more water. We need to educate the public on why there is a finite amount and how our actions affect our planet.

What are your hopes and expectations for 2010?

To see an increase in awareness throughout the UAE of how much water we are wasting. To see the majority of our citizens realise the impact of our water wastage and make an effort to conserve water and pass these habits onto their children. We hope that by making small changes to one’s everyday life we will see a united UAE come together and make a difference for future generations.