The Ministry of Environment and Water will participate in the 2nd edition of the International Water Summit. Running simultaneously with Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the Summit will be held under the patronage of H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Center (ADNEC) from January 20 to 22, 2014
The Ministry will showcase the integrated efforts of the UAE to preserve the environment and local natural resources. It will give an overview of the UAE's environmental efforts since its establishment, including all the international conventions and protocols it has signed and committed to. The UAE has established several entities to ensure it meets its environmental commitments, and has enacted a number of environmental laws and legislations.
For its part, the Ministry has undertaken several initiatives in support of the state's vision of a sustainable environment. One of these is “Al Basma Al Beeiya” (Ecological Footprint); one of several projects the UAE has adopted to reduce its ecological footprint. The Emirates is only the third country in the world to implement a project of this nature. The initiative has helped reduce the ecological footprint of the UAE from 11.8 hectares per capita in 2006 to 8.4 in 2012.
The Ministry's environmental platform will be promoted during the inaugural edition of the United Nations' Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) conference which will take place in March 2014 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The conference is a major step forward in efforts to adopt a green economy at the national and international levels as a strategic choice and essential move towards sustainable development.
Engineer Aisha Al Abdouli, Acting Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of Environment and Water, noted that the Ministry’s participation in the International Water Summit is very important as the event is considered a major international platform for countries to meet and shed light on key issues related to water, energy, and the environment.
Eng. Al Abdouli also pointed out that the Ministry’s participation in the conference highlights the UAE’s strategic efforts to achieve “green” development, specifically by focusing on the national roadmap for executing such a strategy along with orientational activities and programs that comply with the UAE 2021 Vision.