UAE launches 16th Environment Day

Under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ministry of Environment and Water launched yesterday the 16th Environment Day under the theme ''Desert Pulsing with Life''. A total of 27 major entities and stakeholders, including the International Fund for Houbara Conservation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare will come together to mark the national event. ''The Environment Day is a spectacular national activity through which we renew our commitment to exert more efforts to conserve and protect our environment and reach sustainable development goals, which form the essence of the UAE Vision 2021,'' Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, told a press conference he held to announce details of celebrations. The day, he added, plays an instrumental role in heightening environmental awareness of the community and engagement of public and private institutions in the Day's activities and programmes were increasing year by year. These institutions, he noted had come forward willing to advance efforts aimed at conserving the environment and reducing their environmental footprint. For the third running year, he said, the UAE is marking the day under the theme ''Deserts pulsing with Life,'', to demonstrate the attention desert environments elicit in our indigenous heritage and development policy and in our national sentiment. This theme was underpinned by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan who has said: ''Development of the desert environment is constitutes a key element of the UAE Vision 2021 and the government strategy as a genuine component of our heritage and social and cultural history. Deepening awareness about its importance, conservation of its sources and ensuring its sustainable development are core part of national responsibility.'' Throughout February, organisers will conduct a rich line-up of activities and events to commemorate the day.