3 ways Dubai is driving smart transportation
It’s exciting to see what governments around the world are doing in sustainable transportation, especially clean-running electric vehicles (EVs). In recent headlines, we’ve seen the Chinese pour billions into EV charging stations, Canadians launch a multi-million dollar EV incentive program, and the Barcelona police go completely electric. Governments all over the world are rolling out EVs—not just in highly developed countries or countries that are dependent on foreign resources. Case in point: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dubai is a great example of a government that has embraced clean transportation and is making it work. I see three reasons why EVs are getting traction in the UAE and other regions around world. Progressive metros like my adopted hometown of Seattle should take note. We can all learn a lot from a city like Dubai.
Sustainability is a top priority.
On my recent visit to Dubai, I visited the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and got to visit one of the Emirate’s first EV charging stations—one of 100 stations DEWA plans to open in 2015. In a city where petrol costs US$0.48 a liter ($1.82 a gallon), I was intrigued. But it makes sense when you consider the government’s big-picture goals: To become one of the world’s most sustainable cities by 2020, when it hosts the World Expo; to create an energy mix by 2030 that includes 15 percent renewable sources; and to become a role model for sustainability around the world.
They’re embracing change and taking steps now.
Given the present state of transportation— 1.39 million vehicles on Dubai’s roads, almost double the number from eight years ago, almost all with internal combustion engines—the government needs to act fast if it’s going to meet its goals. And act it has. Just this year, it will roll out its EV charging infrastructure, create a fleet of electric buses, and become the first city in the world to formally adopt local biodiesel made from 100 percent waste cooking oil for use in its municipal vehicles. It’s just the beginning. The government says going forward it plans to spend up to US$1.9 billion a year on transportation infrastructure and services.
They’re having conversations and sharing ideas.
On April 22nd and 23rd, Dubai will host its second annual World Green Economy Summit, a gathering of world leaders dedicated to sustainability. The emirate also hosts the Dubai Global Energy Forum, where global energy experts can exchange ideas on clean energy and sustainability. And in 2012, Dubai was the site of the World Energy Forum, where leaders from 89 countries met to chart a course to a sustainable global energy system. These are just a few of the ways Dubai is reaching out, engaging in dialogs, and taking an active part in the future of sustainability.
If you haven’t started down the EV road, I encourage you to give it some thought. You can find great ideas from cities around the world in the Electric Vehicle City Casebook: 50 Big Ideas Shaping the Future of Electric Mobility. I feel that most major metropolitan areas can follow Dubai’s lead and take the first steps toward sustainable transportation. In Dubai, the change was initiated by Sheikh Mohammed—vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai—who issued a challenge: He wants to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world in just three years. The result, dubbed the Smart Dubai Strategic Plan, aims to transform 1,000 government services—including transportation—into smart services. What a great first step. Now it’s our turn.
