The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), part of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), has launched a fleet of electric buses to serve COP28 UAE participants as transportation to and from Abu Dhabi International Airport and the COP28 UAE site. The announcement forms part of the emirate's commitment to promote environmentally friendly means of transport and provide services that effectively meet the needs of residents and guests.
This step reflects the ITC's commitment to innovate and adopt sustainable transport technologies, which launched the initiative under the umbrella of the Green Bus Programme with the aim of making Abu Dhabi Island a green zone that provides an efficient, reliable public transport system, operating on sustainable alternative energy by 2030, keeping pace with the efforts of the world's leading cities in this field.
The provision of this advanced fleet of electric buses to serve visiting COP28 UAE participants will contribute to raising awareness of the need for countries to adopt sustainable mobility solutions, and at a local level, enhance efforts to preserve the environment and Abu Dhabi’s natural tradition.
The electric buses will be integrated into the rest of the emirate's public transport fleet after the conclusion of COP28 UAE, providing highly efficient transport services as part of its ongoing endeavour to improve the quality of services it provides, especially for bus users.
This innovative project reflects Abu Dhabi's continuous efforts to achieve sustainable development goals and promote awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. The use of electric buses, which cover a distance of 520 kilometres per day, will significantly reduce CO2 emissions by 3.7-tonnes per day. Following the integration of electric buses into the emirate's public transport fleet, which will cover around 3,150 kilometres per day, these nine electric buses are expected to contribute to an annual reduction of more than 900-tonnes of CO2 emissions, confirming the long-term positive environmental impact.
The new and improved electric buses are quick to charge, becoming fully charged after only two hours. As the baseline for CO2 emissions per litre of diesel is 2.65 kg, and given the supposed energy efficiency rate of diesel-fuelled buses at 30 litres per 100 km, this means that switching to electric buses will considerably reduce the environmental impact and carbon footprint of the public transport system in Abu Dhabi.
The ITC is committed to achieving Abu Dhabi's Smart Mobility Strategy and its plans to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050 by developing an efficient and sustainable transport sector, employing modern technologies that serve the community, upgrading the overall transport system and supporting the transition to environmentally friendly and sustainable vehicles.
The ITC pursues all means to support efforts that accomplish the UAE’s sustainable development goals and reduce carbon emissions in line with the state’s environmental commitments, thereby contributing to the diversity of mobility options for the community and improving the quality of life for all residents in Abu Dhabi, enhancing its status as one of the best global destinations for living, working and tourism.
