Al Ain: The Ministry of Environment and Water will organise 60 events across the country throughout the year as part of the 19th National Environment Day celebrations to urge residents to incorporate sustainable living in their lifestyle, it was announced on Thursday.
Celebrated annually on February 4, this year’s National Environment Day highlights ‘Sustainability is a Lifestyle’ as its main programme to encourage residents to have better consumption patterns to ensure sustainability of resources and reduce the negative impact human activities on natural resources.
“Sustainability is the basis on which this country was built, from our father Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. As the country is gearing towards a UAE beyond oil, we will focus on sustainability, which is the onus of life. The message is already there. People are more aware now about caring for the environment and they are practising it in their day-to-day life,” Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, told Gulf News.
Bin Fahad kicked off the 19th National Environment Day programme at the Shaikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre (SZDLC) in Al Ain Zoo’s UAE World Desert. The centre, he said, is a perfect example of “sustainability in action” as it received the highest rating from the Abu Dhabi Green Building Rating System and a platinum rating from the LEED Green Building Rating System for New Construction. It is expected to open to the public soon.
Bin Fahad noted the importance of engaging in public and raising their awareness on pressing environmental issues. The annual event has bolstered ongoing efforts to protect the environment, which is an essential component of UAE Vision 2021, UAE National Agenda, and environmental strategies of federal and local government authorities. From an environmental awareness level of 63 per cent in 2014, this number increased to 68 per cent in 2015 according to the ministry’s annual survey.
During the event, Bin Fahd also went on a tour of the African Safari, the new development at Ai Ain Zoo just beside the centre. The construction of the 50-hectare man-made safari, the largest in the world, is nearing completion and it is scheduled to be open to the public within the year.
