Dubai, UAE / New York, USA; 12 April 2013: Over the course of 2012, UNDP’s corporate carbon finance programme MDG Carbon and Dubai Carbon successfully registered five Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in the United Arab Emirates. Amongst them were the first Dubai-based projects, part of the operations of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai Aluminum (DUBAL) and a DCCE-owned CFL Distribution to the Dubai Community, which all will start generating Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) once fully implemented in 2013.

This is considered a major breakthrough in Dubai’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Additionally, amongst the Arab States, the UAE now has the second most registered CDM projects totalling to 12, after Egypt’s total of 14.

Marcel Alers, Manager of MDG Carbon, commented: “UNDP’s collaboration with the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence has been extremely productive, in successfully registering five CDM projects. We are demonstrating that climate change mitigation need not be a cost and a brake on growth but can actually represent a successful business model that delivers important development co-benefits.”

The Chairman of DCCE, Waleed Salman, noted: “The registration of these first Dubai-based CDM projects can be seen as a milestone in the low-carbon development of the Emirate and is in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as outlined in His Highness’s ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development’ initiative. The project owners, namely DEWA, DUBAL and Union Cement Company, have shown great commitment and leadership by increasing operational efficiency and environmental sustainability.”

The projects, spanning a range of industrial and commercial sectors and involving innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions, will serve as beacon initiatives in Dubai, under the leadership of the Supreme Council of Energy, pursues an ambitious low-carbon development strategy.

The five newly-registered CDM projects, which serve to double UAE’s existing CDM project portfolio, include:

• An initiative undertaken in conjunction with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) to improve the energy efficiency of power generation in Dubai;
• Industrial energy efficiency measures in conjunction with Dubai Aluminium (Dubal);
• Waste heat recovery in the Union Cement Company plant in Ras Al Khaimah;
• The distribution of almost 800,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) free of charge to residents of high-density Dubai suburbs;
• The construction and operation of Dubai’s first solar photovoltaic power plant, paving the way for installation of a further 400MW of grid-connected solar power.

Together, these five projects are expected over the course of their 10-year CDM crediting periods to reduce a total of 1.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Dubai’s successful engagement with the CDM will facilitate its deployment of scaled-up, next-generation mitigation instruments, such as Programmes of Activities (PoAs) and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), in line with the Government’s development priorities.

H.E. Dr Rashid Ahmad bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water recognized the achievement in a ceremony on January 10th 2013 in the Grand Hyatt Dubai by awarding involved entities a token of recognition. More information can be found on the UNDP website.