Dubai: Animal habitat conservation will take centrestage during Dubai Expo’s Climate and Biodiversity Week, an online public event taking place from October 20-21 that will highlight global action on wildlife conservation.
Expo 2020 Dubai, DP World and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have also joined forces “to drive meaningful, global action that will have a measurable impact on animal and habitat conservation to help safeguard our planet,” organisers said on Monday.
The collaboration will also explore solutions to pressing issues, including climate change, biodiversity and water issues. “Working with DP World, ZSL will help co-curate Expo 2020s ‘Conservation for Hope’ programme focusing on wildlife and ecosystem conservation to ensure environmental sustainability and the safeguarding of our planet,” Expo 2020 Dubai said in a statement.
Themed ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, Expo 2020 will run from October 1, 2021 until March 31, 2022. “With more than 200 international participants and millions of visitors expected, Expo 2020 is well positioned to amplify the impact of ZSL’s global efforts to achieve its vision of a world where wildlife thrives,” Expo 2020 Dubai added.
Connection to wildlife and natural world
Reem Al Hashimy, Director-General of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, said: “Our alliance with ZSL recognises the need for meaningful, collaborative action to address the looming threats of climate change and human encroachment — helping humanity to become more aware of our connection to wildlife and the natural world.
“Its global work on animal and habitat conservation will help shape our thought-provoking content and conversations taking place during event time, engaging our 200-plus international participants and millions of visitors on the greatest climate and biodiversity-related challenges of our time to create a lasting legacy of global environmental conservation for decades to come,” she added.
Dominic Jermey CVO OBE, ZSL Director General, added: “The current global health crisis has highlighted the fragility of the human existence and what happens through our over-exploitation of nature. It is part of a broader crisis caused by the worsening loss of biodiversity and the impacts of climate breakdown. We know that only through major systemic change can we change the course of wildlife loss.”
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, also noted: “Living in balance with the Earth and its resources is fundamental to the future for us all.
