A delegation from the UAE is participating in the COP 13, the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The conference is being held in Cancun, Mexico from 4 to 17 December 2016 with the participation 196 countries.
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), entered into force on 29 December 1993, is aimed at the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
Representing the UAE in the CBD, Eng. Khalfan Al Suwaidi, Deputy Executive Director of Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi said: “The preservation of natural life and its development are top priorities in the UAE and considered as the cornerstones of the country’s policy in the field of environmental conservation and development.”
Quoting the UAE president H.H Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan regarding the nation’s environment conservation strategy, Al Suwaidi said that, since its inception, the UAE has been keeping the balance between economic and social development and the preservation of the country’s cultural, social and environmental heritage. He emphasized that the UAE’s exceptional experience has underscored the success of sustainable development culture instilled by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Al Suwaidi shed light on the significant achievements and efforts of the UAE in the field of biodiversity protection and environmental conservation such as increasing the numbers and areas of protected areas in the country with the aim of preserving the diversity and sustainable services.
“In spite of the harsh desert environment, high temperatures and low raining rates, the UAE has a relatively rich biodiversity which includes ecosystems, wild and aquatic habitats and species adapted to such environments and climate conditions,” he elaborated.
“The UAE also invests in the agricultural sector of other countries and provides a significant portion of its development aids for the agricultural sector in developing countries, in addition to supporting global efforts to develop agricultural technologies and innovations such as Sheikh Zayed Award for Agricultural Innovation,” Al Suwaidi said.
“Moreover, the country has been taking a number of actions and measures, as well as developing relevant laws and legislations regulating professional fishing to preserve, develop and ensure the sustainability of fish stocks”, he added.