Environment agency Abu Dhabi and BP strengthen partnership

To strengthen their investment in environmental education, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) and BP have signed a four-year agreement which will see both organisations continue to work together towards creating positive environmental impact at schools through EAD's Sustainable Schools Initiative (SSI). The SSI or "Al Madaris Al Mustadama," which is conceived and implemented by EAD, with the support of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), targets all government and private schools in Abu Dhabi Emirate. The objective of SSI is to build capacity in school communities to address their own environmental impact and roll out a sustained environment education and awareness activity for the whole school community. The SSI has been solely funded by BP since it was launched in 2009. By renewing this agreement, both organisations will work collaboratively to support the continuation of SSI in achieving its vision in reaching out to the future generation of the U.A.E. and promoting environmental education, ethics and practice in support of Abu Dhabi Environment Vision 2030. The renewed agreement was signed by Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, EAD's Secretary General, and Abdul Karim Al Mazmi, General Manager and Chief Representative for BP U.A.E.. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, EAD's Secretary General, said, "The success and longevity of the Sustainable Schools Initiative relies on us working in close partnership with other government stakeholders, namely the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) and the Centre of Waste Management - Abu Dhabi (CWM). "The participation rate among students over the past four years has been incredible, with many of the entries and initiatives being rewarded for creativity, mechanics and results. With a renewed partnership with BP, we can achieve our goal of empowering youth to be environmentally innovative and help them work towards conserving our natural heritage and protecting the legacy for future generations," she added. Abdulkarim Al Mazmi, General Manager and Chief Representative for BP U.A.E., said, "BP is so proud and privileged to have been able to partner with the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi to support the Sustainable Schools Initiative and to sponsor such a worthwhile and successful initiative. It is very much in support of Abu Dhabi's Environment Vision for 2030 with its focus on sustainability." Al Mazmi added, "This year is the fifth year of the initiative. It has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2009. The Sustainable Schools Initiative has helped to build the capacity of schools to address their own environmental impact and to roll out a sustained environmental education programme. This is raising awareness and leading to changes in behaviour of the whole school community and beyond. We are thrilled to learn about the impact the programme is having on the schools of Abu Dhabi and how it is making a difference to the school community and to the environmental impact by students, teachers and school community." The SSI is a whole-school initiative that targets students, parents, teachers, administrative and maintenance staff eventually linking them to the larger community.