Dubai: The UAE marked the 21st National Environment Day on Sunday with various activities to raise awareness on the importance of protecting and preserving the environment.
The country marked the occasion under the theme “Sustainable Production and Consumption” for the second consecutive year to continue efforts to stimulate the move towards sustainable production and consumption patterns in the UAE.
Dr. Thani Bin Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, thanked the UAE leadership for their continued support in the country’s efforts to preserve the environment.
He said that the 21st National Environment Day recognizes and upholds the UAE Founding Father Shaikh Zayed's legacy of environmental stewardship.
"Shaikh Zayed was the driving force behind many environmental projects here and around the world, and his contribution to the environment will be celebrated, marking the Year of Zayed," he told Gulf News.
Held for the second year under the theme ‘Sustainable Production and Consumption’, the 21st National Environment Day sheds light on production and consumption patterns, which have been gaining massive importance on the national and global levels.
"Irrational production and consumption of resources over the past decades are among the main reasons behind environmental degradation in today's world," Dr Zeyoudi said.
"These factors have caused or contributed to the escalation of several environmental problems, most notably climate change. The success of the drive for sustainable development depends to a large extent on transforming the current production and consumption patterns to sustainable ones.
“In the UAE, we believe that sustainable production and consumption is an essential part of national responsibility for institutions and individuals alike. The consumer society is increasingly gaining importance in this regard, as it dictates production trends and influences producer responsibility," the minister said.
"The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has been working relentlessly to help everyone understand the importance of rationalising the consumption of resources and opting for more sustainable practices” Dr. Zeyoudi said.
"To that end," Dr. Zeyoudi said, "we implemented a wide variety of policies and measures that promote sustainability of production and consumption.
3 major strategies
The most prominent among them are the National Climate Change Plan 2017-2050 that aims to ensure that the UAE is well poised to face challenges that climate change poses, the UAE Energy Strategy for 2050 that aims to diversify the country’s energy sources, and the UAE Green Growth Strategy that focuses on transforming our national economy into a low-carbon green economy, enhancing
