Abu Dhabi: On the 50th anniversary of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS-WWF) on Saturday called on UAE residents to live more sustainable lives and work towards protecting the country's natural environment. In a statement, the EWS said the WWF has seen the protection of more than a billion hectares worldwide since its establishment.
It has also brought back several species from the brink of extinction, including the critically endangered Arabian oryx.
However, climate change have accelerated the biodiversity loss, and could reverse these gains unless conservationists and UAE residents step up their efforts, the statement added.
In the UAE, the WWF leads many conservation efforts via the EWS, including marine turtle protection, creation of sustainable fisheries, establishment of protected wildlife areas and efforts to encourage residents to reduce their ecological footprint.
Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahd, Minister of Environment and Water in the UAE said the work that EWS-WWF carries out is special and important, and spoke of the vital role played by awareness drives.
