For the past 23 years, we have observed National Environment Day on February 4. On this date, we took pride in our achievements and renewed our commitment to protecting the environment that has always been a high priority for the UAE.
As we mark the 24th National Environment Day, I extend my deepest gratitude to the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his patronage of this occasion, and his continued support of environmental protection and sustainable development in the UAE.
I also thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Their Highnesses Federal Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates. Their special interest in the country’s environmental conservation endeavors has been instrumental to our achievements at home and further afield.
Our celebration this year is overshadowed by the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that have shaken the world to the core. The contraction in global GDP has urged countries to take considerable measures to help their economies bounce back, however, this should not happen at the expense of the environment. Indeed, many nations have adopted a sustainable path to recovery.
In the UAE, we are accustomed to perceiving challenges as hidden opportunities for growth, therefore we have designated ‘Green Recovery’ as the theme for the new three-year cycle of National Environment Day to reinforce the country’s drive to build back better.
The new theme is a manifestation of the UAE’s steadfast commitment to integrating sustainability across sectors in line with the UAE Vision 2021 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A green recovery is only possible when all sectors embrace environment-friendly business models and practices in current and future activities. It encompasses the country’s transition to green and blue economies, and supports its climate and environmental action.
The designation of Green Recovery as the theme of National Environment Day came on the heels of the UAE Cabinet’s approval of the UAE Environmental Policy that aims to promote economic diversification and prosperity while preserving ecosystems and their ecological goods and services, and the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031 that targets the adoption of the circular economy concept to build a sustainable economy, promote efficient use of natural resources, and encourage the private sector to shift to cleaner production methods. Both policies were developed by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in cooperation with its stakeholders.
A green recovery requires all hands on deck. Therefore, today we call on government authorities to continue establishing legislative frameworks and implementing programs that help achieve our national targets, on private sector businesses to uphold their corporate social and environmental responsibility, and on the public to be mindful towards the environment and adopt sustainable consumption habits.
Our ability to shape a better future depends largely on striking a balance between economic growth and environmental protection – the core of a green recovery.