(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The uae has called for global protection of marine resources food security and safer environment at an international four-day summit in the dutch capital of the hague.
in his keynote speech at the ‘global oceans action summit for food security and blue growth’ dr rashid ahmed bin fahd uae minister of environment and water said the three issues of marine protection food security and a safe environment were a big challenge and of great importance for the world’s future.
“the uae fully supports international efforts to protect marine resources and the world’s oceans and seas pursue a sustainable economy and ensure food security” he told the summit which was attended by prominent international speakers and leaders including us secretary of state john kerry prime minister of granada keith mitchel.
dr bin fahd further noted that a large part of the economy and culture of the uae and the broader arabian gulf have been traditionally rooted on marine resources.
“the world’s marine environment is facing numerous threats such as biodiversity loss coastal erosion marine pollution acidification coastal development and climate change among others” the minister warned.
he underscored the importance of international cooperation in addressing these critical issues affecting not only the environment but the economy and society as a whole as well.
the minister said the uae has been undertaking several eco-initiatives such as the enactment of a federal law in 1999 governing the proper use and protection of aquatic resource and the ‘blue carbon’ project overseen by the abu dhabi global environmental data initiative which connects local coastal and marine ecosystem health with climate change mitigation.
he further highlighted the uae’s active participation in concerted efforts to protect the marine and coastal environment as well as address climate change citing a number of international agreements it has made over the past decades.
he also revealed that as part of its commitment to mitigating climate change the uae will be hosting a high-profile event ‘abu dhabi ascent’ in early may in support of the un secretary-general’s climate summit slated for september in new york.
as for food security dr bin fahd said: “the uae has been reformulating policies and conducting research in support of the proper governance and management of the fisheries sector. the uae government has also been promoting technology investments for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.”
the minister explained that such efforts are in line with the uae’s ‘green growth strategy’ comprising various government-led initiatives to develop a mechanism for sustainable development and to transition towards a green economy. this strategy he said is guided by the uae’s ‘vision 2021’ growth agenda.
“it is clear that we must ensure the sustainability of our marine resources and make them viable tools for development. this will require the forging of partnerships at multiple levels. today we have an excellent opportunity to proactively discuss issues as well as identify priorities partnerships and actions that can strengthen our collective environment efforts.”
news?khaleejtimes.com
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.