Biology teachers undergo environmental awareness course

A four-day training course to create environmental awareness among biology teachers will open here today, arranged by the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA).

Majid Al Masouri, Assistant Secretary General of ERWDA, will inaugurate the programme. Thirty teachers will take part in the training, the second in a series of courses for biology teachers. These courses aim to update teachers' environmental knowledge and enable them to acquaint students with the latest environmental issues.

Researchers from ERWDA, the National Drilling Co, Federal Environment Agency (FEA), International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture, UAE University, Abu Dhabi Municipality, Ministry of Education and Youth and the Emirates Environment Group will speak.

Ashraf Al Cibahy of ERWDA's Environmental Services Centre will speak on marine environment and pollution. Engineer Hussein Hassan Al Shateari of the National Drilling Co will talk on water Issues. Dr. Lutfi Al Desoqui of the FEA will conclude the first day's lectures, speaking on environment and development.

The second day will start with a lecture on the importance of salt-tolerant plants in the GCC by Professor Faisal Taha, Director Technical Programmes at the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA).

Dr. Abdel Al Aziz Al Kubasi of UAE University will speak on Islam and the environment. Habiba Al Marashi, Environment Friends Society Chairperson, will speak on the role of NGOs in environmental awareness. Air pollution will be highlighted by Dr. Omar Samhan from the Food and Environment Control Centre at the Municipality.

The first lecture on the third day will be on remote sensing. This will be delivered by Adnan Sharf from the FEA. The role of the family and school in increasing environmental awareness will be highlighted by Dr. Ayyad Kubah of the Ministry of Education and Youth.

The day will conclude with a lecture on fisheries by Lina Kabbara from ERWDA's Marine Environment Research Centre. The last day will be dedicated to practical training, and the participants will spend time at ERWDA's laboratories.