IANS

Dubai, Apr 9: The UAE is according top priority to environment conservation and has launched two major projects on recycling carbon dioxide and converting waste into energy.

The Emirates launched a paper recycling programme to increase awareness on pollution and a project for conservation of power Thursday.

Two leading business groups from the region -- Emirates General Petroleum Corporation "Emarat" and Emirates Environmental Working Group -- collected and recycled around 16 tonnes of paper waste from Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

The aim of the programme was to dispose of paper waste in a healthy instead of burning such waste or burying them, which increases pollution and causes further damage to the environment, Rahma bin Mohamed Al Shamsi of Emarat said.

Recycling paper waste has become an important issue for its role in preserving resources and protecting the environment, he said.

Meanwhile, the ministry of environment and water is scheduled to launch initiatives to lower energy consumption in a bid to reduce carbon emission and protect the environment.

"The UAE has the highest ecological footprint in the world. Along with Japan and Switzerland, the UAE is assessing the ecological footprint," Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, minister of environment and water, said Thursday while announcing a new environment-friendly re-design of the ministry headquarters.

The new building will consume two million kilowatts of electricity per annum and 750,000 gallons of water, which has been reduced from the earlier consumption levels by 24 percent (257,000 kilowatts) and 44 percent (334,000 gallons) respectively.

"This decline is significant not only in terms of economic saving but also in reduction of the annual ecological footprint generated by the ministry by 24 percent from 908 tonnes to 691 tonnes each year," the minister said.