UN meeting set global agenda for environment protection

Meetings of the first session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) of UN Environment Program (UNDP) will determine protection to environment global agenda, a Bahraini official said Monday.
Abdulqader Khamees, Charge d'affaires and Director of biodiversity of the Supreme Council for Environment in Bahrain, told KUNA that Arab countries, especially Gulf states, are keen to participate in this decision-making meeting, which is a historic event hosted by the UNDP.
Khamees added that the first meeting's outcome showed positive results, including the election of the assembly office members with two seats for Arab countries.
Khamees expressed the hope that such leap contributes to strengthening UNDP's future role in the region through handling pressing global issues, noting that countries have become more capable of determining priorities within the program.
The Bahraini official pointed out that the Kingdom is eager to strengthen its regional and international role for the protection of environment, pointing out to the hosting the regional office for West Asia which contributes to institutional changes in the program by enabling it to increase its support to the countries of West Asia which also includes the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Khamees also pointed out that there are several vital environmental issues that need to be a priority in the program for the coming years, which will be approved during the current meeting, namely climate change, biodiversity, chemicals, environment disasters, marine pollution and air quality.