Since Ramadan is a month of philanthropy and compassion, I often consider it a time to be charitable and good. However, isn’t it a form of compassion to use God’s blessings with wisdom? Isn’t it a form of compassion to not waste water, which is the key to our lives and our existence? Didn’t the Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, tell us, “Don’t waste water even if you were at a running stream?” Isn’t it a form of compassion to rationalise power consumption so we don’t run out of natural resources, and unknowingly, harm our environment? I am sure that you all agree with me, and that you all believe that true compassion benefits yourself, the people around you, your environment, and the entire nation.
At Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), we are responsible for providing electricity and water to the highest standards of availability, reliability, and efficiency. Nevertheless, this is a shared responsibility for each of us. Everyone who lives in this precious country is responsible for protecting its environment and the sustainability of its natural resources. We are responsible for reducing our own personal carbon emissions, which causes global warming, and is the main factor in rapid climate change and its negative impact on the environment.
In the UAE, Allah has given us a wise leadership, whose priority is to support the United Nations’ (UN’s) efforts to achieve sustainable development. Its list of priorities includes the 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDGs) adopted by the UN, to promote clean energy, and a green economy. The UAE has taken the lead in consolidating the concept of sustainability in its environmental, economic, and social aspects. It works to achieve them through vision, strategies, initiatives, and development plans, which are all focused on comprehensive sustainable development. These are the UAE Vision 2021, Dubai Plan 2021, UAE Energy Strategy 2050, Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, the Carbon Abatement Strategy, and other initiatives to build a green economy in the UAE. This is why we are all obliged to join hands to achieve one goal: a sustainable and ideal environment for living, at home and at work.
During the holy month of Ramadan, we need to adopt the concept of rationalisation, not only how much we spend on food and drink, but as a comprehensive culture, that extends to all the details of our lives, mainly rationalisation of electricity and water consumption. We follow the words of Allah, “Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes).” By adopting responsible practices, each of us can control consumption and avoid wastefulness, which is consistent with our values and the teachings of our religion.
Simple steps can have a great impact on our lives, such as adjusting the air-conditioning temperature to 24°C or more, scheduling the use of high-power electrical appliances outside peak load hours (12-6pm), using smart irrigation systems, fixing water leaks, and other advice and guidelines that DEWA provides to the public about rational power consumption.
Electricity and water are great blessings from Allah. I call upon every citizen of this nation to use these blessings responsibly and consciously, and to use them to serve man and society, without harming the environment, especially in the month of philanthropy, compassion, and giving.
