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Dubai, UAE;September24, 2014: Empower, the worlds largest district cooling services provider, attended a session on combating climate change at the upcoming UN Climate Summit, hosted by the United Nationsat their headquarters in New York. The Sustainable Energy for All Global Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform Policy sessionwas held in New York on September 23, 2014. Theobjective of the session was to bring together stakeholders to discuss how energy efficiency can help to reach goals to avert climate change, as well as contribute to economic development, growth and productivity.

Empower has been invited to participate in the session and will be signatory to a Joint Statement emphasising the specific advantages of greater deployment of district cooling systems as part of a Global District Energy Accelerator Program, developed by the United Nations Environmental Program.Ahmad Bin Shafar, Empowers Chief Executive Officer, has agreed to support the United Nations Sustainable Energy for All Initiative to educate government leaders across the Middle East and North Africa on the best practices of district cooling, drawing from Empowers extensive experience in building one of the worlds largest district cooling systems in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This is the right time for district cooling to be recognised for its positive impact on the climate, especially in the Middle East region. The growth of district cooling has played a critical role in improving the energy efficiency and decreasing water consumption for the major new developments in Dubai. For the past decade, Empower has invested in highly efficient cooling technologies and continues to drive innovation to reduce the carbon footprint of its facilities and customers, said Ahmad Bin Shafar, Chief Executive Officer, Empower..

District cooling systems, like those built by Empower, incorporate integrated structures that use up to 50% less energy than traditional air-conditioners, explained Bin Shafar. Because they use less energy, and thereby less fuel, district cooling technologies ultimately result in huge savings of carbon dioxide emissions-- a crucial aspect in mitigating the effects of climate change.
In 2013, Empowers one million Refrigeration Tonne (RT) network, the largest of any single district cooling services provider in the world, resulted in 782MW inenergy savings.

The UAEs leadership has set a bold vision for the future, according to which the country will need to incorporate smart and sustainable technologies by 2021. Empowers systems are living examples of this vision being realised and recognised, continued Bin Shafar. As carbon emissions are widely attributed as a major cause ofclimate change, , it is our duty in ensuring that we build our cities in a way that is responsible towards the environment.
The UNs Climate Summit gathered world leaders to champion an ambitious vision, anchored in action that will enable a meaningful global agreement to mitigate the effects of climate change. Ban Ki-moon, the UNs Secretary- General, invited leaders from government, finance, business, and civil society to engage in activities toreduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and mobilise political will towards a meaningful legal agreement by 2015.

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