In support of Earth Hour, a global environmental movement designed to draw attention to climate change, the lights went out for an hour in the Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) common areas and within all DMCC-owned buildings on Saturday 30 March 2019.
Beyond the lights-off initiative, DMCC formed the Earth Hour and DMCC logos with candles and hosted a one-hour yoga session in the JLT Park. DMCC will continue to raise awareness and encourage responsible and environmentally friendly business practices throughout the entire value chain.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, DMCC said: “Any international initiative that draws attention to climate change deserves great credit, and it was important for DMCC to show its support for Earth Hour 2019. DMCC is committed to driving sustainability, and will continue to support member companies in reducing their ecological footprint.”
Since participating in Earth Hour in 2008, Dubai has saved 2,385MW of energy accumulated in just 11 hours over the past 11 years. Last year alone, the energy savings of the emirate reached 323MW, equivalent to reducing 140 tonnes of carbon emissions. This represents a 32% increase in savings from 2017.
In August 2017, DMCC was the first Free Zone in the UAE to join the United Nation’s Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate social responsibility initiative. DMCC has also started to implement its long-term Smart District strategy to ensure the entire Free Zone community of around 100,000 people live and work and in a cutting-edge community that offers the latest available in technology, connectivity and amenities through smart objectives and initiatives that are aligned with Dubai’s smart city guidelines.
Earth Hour was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007. Since then, it has grown to engage more than 180 countries and territories worldwide and has had important environmental impact, including legislation changes. In 2018, more than 17,900 landmarks and monuments switched their lights off in 188 countries and territories.