Dubai, UAE: July 30th. 2016 - His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, headed the second meeting of the Higher Committee for Environmental Coordination for 2016, hosted by the Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman, where the meeting was held at Al Zorah Nature Reserve in Ajman and attended by the committee members from concerned departments across the UAE.
In line with the directives of UAE leadership for effective coordination and integration between federal and local authorities, a key pillar of UAE Vision 2021, the committee holds a series of regular meetings to follow up on its progress and evaluate the implementation of policies and action plans of the four sub-committees; the National Committee for Biodiversity, the National Committee for Education and Awareness, the National Committee for Air Quality, and the National Committee for Waste and Hazardous Materials Management.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi praised the efforts of the members of the Higher Committee for Environmental Coordination, stressing that these efforts culminated in many environmental successes and contribute to achieving the MOCCAE’s vision, mission and objectives derived from the vision of the UAE and the strategy of the federal government, pointing out that the ministry is keen on establishing a long-term methodologies to achieve the best possible coordination and integration in order to reach the desired hopes and ambitions.
During the meeting, the National Committee for Waste and Hazardous Materials Management reviewed the challenges facing the majority of local bodies and provided an assessment of the procedures followed in waste treatment in the UAE. The Committee highlighted the need to consolidate the procedures for the management of hazardous materials across the UAE and recommended creating centralized waste projects in coordination with environmental authorities and also encouraging investments in treatment projects in waste and hazardous material sector.
The National Committee for Biodiversity showcased its achievements, which focused on supervising the implementation of the operational plan for the National Strategy for Biodiversity, combating desertification and the National Programme for the Sustainability of Wildlife, in addition to overseeing the development of a national plan for the preservation of sea turtles, sharks and nature reserves.
The meeting touched on the national indicators related to air quality, where the National Committee for Air Quality provided a detailed review on the current developments and stressed the importance of developing an integrated system in the field of air quality, as well as implementing national standards for the specifications and locations of air quality monitoring stations and emphasized the importance of applying Specification 17025 at all UAE air monitoring stations. The Committee also reviewed the outcome of the second phase of the air quality satellite monitoring project in collaboration with “Masdar”.
The Higher Committee for Environmental Coordination also reviewed the latest developments in the implementation of the national strategy for education and awareness, where the National Committee for Education and Awareness presented a report on the national indicators associated with the implementation of the UAE strategy for green development. Dr. Al Zeyoudi underlined the importance of developing a national strategy for education and awareness and the need to unify efforts in adopting best practices and educational programs across the UAE.
The meeting was attended by members of the Supreme Committee for Environmental Coordination, including Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority; Dr. Jaber Aidha Al Jaberi, Deputy Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency; Eng. Salem Bin Mismar, Assistant Director-General of the Dubai Municipality’s Health, Safety and Environment Department; Eng. Khalid Muaeen Al Hosani, Executive Director of the Public Health and Environment of Ajman Municipality and Planning Department; and Salem Khalfan, Director of Al Falaj Al Mualla Municipality, Umm Al Quwain.