Fossil fuels are amongst the greatest polluters of our environment and are one of the key sources adding to the carbon footprint of our planet. The transport industry is one of the largest users of fossil fuels and is therefore a major contributor to this negative impact.

There is an increased awareness, globally, for the need for environmentally responsible transport options which has given rise to the term ?Ecomobility?. It is essentially a term which describes travel options which are environmentally friendly , socially inclusive and economically viable thereby contributing to a sustainable world. EcoMobility indicates a new approach to mobility that highlights the importance of public and non-motorized transport and promotes an integrated use of all modes in a city.

On the occasion of  World Public Transport Day , the Roads and Transport Authority ( RTA ) of Dubai organized an unique ?transport marathon? to promote this concept of ecomobility. Usage of public transport by citizens as opposed to individual vehicle usage, can drastically reduce the amount of pollution and consequently the carbon footprint of the residents. Amongst the several hundred residents who participated, were members of Green Hope UAE , since we promote all aspects of sustainable development and  have been spreading awareness amongst our stakeholders about ecomobility. Being the youngest group at the event did not daunt us one bit as our objective was spreading awareness about ecomobility to our peers and society, in general.

It was an amazing experience using all the available modes of transport to unravel the clues as we moved from one point to another which made us appreciate how well planned our city is .

We, as children,  want to be the change – carbon footprint reduction is the responsibility of each and every individual and we hope that this initiative will help to generate greater awareness about the cause.

It was very encouraging for us , when the CEO of  RTA?s Public Transport Agency  called us up on stage at the end of the event and he was very appreciative of our efforts and of the fact that we , children, want to make a difference.  In September, I had the privilege of  participating as a youth moderator at the 2013 Ecomobility World Festival which was held in Suwon , Korea and was happy to be able to contribute effectively to the cause of ecomobility here in Dubai through RTA?s unique initiative.