Chairman’s...The 43rd anniversary of the UAE’s National Day was a great occasion to reflect on the past when the Spirit of the Union first took root as separate emirates joined

The 43rd anniversary of the UAE’s National Day was a great occasion to reflect on the past when the Spirit of the Union first took root as separate emirates joined to become one nation. Even as we pay tribute to the wisdom and foresight of the nation’s founding fathers on this day, it is also a time to look forward to the future with enthusiasm and hope.

Earlier this year, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai made a profound statement that epitomizes the ambitious, challenging and energizing spirit of the nation. Announcing the launch of the UAE Space Agency which confirms the country’s aim to land an unmanned probe on Mars in 2021 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of its formation, HH Sheikh Mohammed said: “… epic challenges inspire us and motivate us. The moment we stop taking on such challenges is the moment we stop moving forward.”

The image of the UAE as a desert nation inhabited by Bedouins has gone through a drastic transformation over the past few decades as it has gradually emerged among the most modern, stable and safe countries in the world. During this period, it has also become the epicenter of renewable energy in the GCC and the Middle East. The UAE leadership’s emphasis on ambitious clean energy targets is paving the way for a low carbon, sustainable future.

Last year, Dubai’s victory in its Expo 2020 bid was a reflection of the strength of our unity, our ability to deliver and the trust the world places in the UAE and Dubai.

2015 has been designated as the Year of Innovation in the UAE as the nation seeks to attract national skills and increase distinguished research to build a national cadre capable of taking the nation into the future. The Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment, currently in its 2nd cycle, is one shining example of the opportunity for the whole UAE society to be part of inventing and creating change. I hope noble initiatives like these will help us carve a pathway toward sustainability in the years ahead.

Chairman’s Message

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Prof. Mohammed bin FahadExecutive Editor

c r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

Contents

Launch 28Dubai Land Department launches “Center for Sustainable Cities” in collaboration with UNEP

Launch 46Abu Dhabi expands ongoing ‘Blue Carbon’ work from Emirate to the national level

Going Green 53Emirates parking spaces go green as GreenParking promotes green technologies

Conservation60International cooperation for Migratory Species of Wild Animals enhanced

Conservation 42Under a reintroduction programme, 500 scimitar-horned oryx to be introduced to Chad game reserve

Honor 24Dubai’s golf icon honored for sustained approach to irrigation water technologyv

Campaign 3612,000 tons of waste collected during Dubai Municipality’s ‘Clean Up the World’ campaign

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Zayed Foundation 10Zayed Foundation promotes the Dh1million Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment across the seven emirates

Cover Story 14The eighth edition of the Emirates International Date Palm Festival showcases the U.A.E.’s rich cultural heritage associated with date palm

Deadline 18Nomination period for Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment extended

c r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s

Society &Environment

Executive EditorProf. Mohammed Bin Fahad

Managing EditorDr. Meshgan Al Awar

AdvisorDr. Eisa Abdellatif

EditorSangeetha [email protected]

Design DirectorNash - [email protected]

[email protected]

Published by

With the designation of 2015 as the Year of Innovation on the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE is slowly but surely on its way to reaching the top global benchmarks for innovation. This announcement that coincided with the celebrations of the 43rd National Day is extremely far-sighted as it leads to a constant flow of new ideas that will spearhead the nation on its forward march.

With the thrust on innovation, the dream of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make the UAE the most innovative country in seven years is on its way to realization.

Fostering a culture built on innovation is, I believe, the most sustainable way to entrench the UAE as a competitive nation on a global level. At the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, the seeds of innovation were sown as early as last year with the launch of a new category of Award that is also in line with HH Sheikh Mohammed’s vision of sustainability. Accordingly, the new ‘The Young Scientists Award for Environmental Sustainability’, will recognize, reward and promote pioneering contributions of talented young scientists worldwide for their path breaking research that have contributed significantly to Environmental Integrity and Sustainable Development.

Yet another window of innovation at Zayed Foundation has opened up with the upcoming launch of our newly redesigned website design featuring a bold new look and enhanced navigation experience. Going forward and in the spirit of innovation, we aim to continually expand our online content for app users too.

Zayed Foundation is committed to supporting the vision of the nation’s leaders in making the UAE a hub of innovation and will organize a Conference on Sustainable Lifestyles in Dubai next year that will touch upon the importance of dispersion of knowledge on the impact of our economic choices in order to change our behavior and consumption habits.

I take this opportunity to thank the government of the UAE for ushering in a culture of innovation and offer my fellow citizens and all residents hearty congratulations on the occasion of our 43rd National Day!

From the Managing Editor

Dr. Meshgan Al AwarSecretary General Zayed International Prize for the Environment

f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o wc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s

P.O. Box 28399, Dubai, UAE.Tel: +971 4 3326666Fax: +971 4 3326777Website: www.zayedprize.org.aeemail: [email protected]

December 2014 Society & Environment

In the UAE

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SPlanting a Greener Future McDonald’s Emirates held the second of seven tree planting activities at Shaikha bint Saeed Model School for Girls, Ajman on 23 October, 2014.

With the support of school officials, teaching staff, McDonald’s Emirates management, Emirates Environmental Group, and the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, 35 students participated in the planting of trees around the Shaikha bint Saeed Model School grounds, working together to improve their community and learning of the ongoing environmental benefits of their actions.

Rafic Fakih, Managing Director

and Partner of McDonald’s Emirates said: “We remain strong advocates of such green initiatives, and are proud to be making such a positive improvement in UAE schools such as Shaikha bint Saeed and Al Aqsa.

“Planting a Greener Future has encouraged children to lead an active lifestyle through the conversion of sandpits to green sporting fields, whilst benefiting our environment through the addition of new trees, and in turn, giving back to our community.”

This initiative follows on from the first phase of the Planting a Greener Future campaign, which saw all seven schools convert sandpits into green sporting fields for student use.

Mounira Ahmed Abdullah, Principal of Shaikha bint Saeed Model School, noted the co-op felt “privileged to have been a part of such an important cause. The students are thrilled with the introduction of the sporting facility, and we are grateful for the ongoing support and commitment of McDonald’s Emirates.”

With the addition of planting the indigenous trees, the Planting a Greener Future campaign aims at increasing the amount of greenery in schools, providing natural shade, storm water mitigation and the improvement of air quality through natural filtration.

McDonald’s Emirates aims to raise awareness amongst students on the importance of

A round-up of recent environment-related happenings in the UAE.

c r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w06In the UAE

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Senvironmental protection and conservation of resources by getting them directly involved in the planting process, giving back to their school personally. The campaign is an educational journey through which the children learn about the suitable soil and irrigations system required for the different species of flora that can grow safely in the UAE climate.

Increasing efficiency and reliability of water transmission network Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has started work on a project to increase the efficiency and reliability of water transmission networks in different parts of Dubai. The project will provide an infrastructure capable of meeting all requirements

for development, including the supply, installation and testing of surge protection devices in 13 water pumping and transmission stations in areas such as Jebel Ali, Mushrif, and Hatta. The total cost of the project is AED 65 million.

“The project supports DEWA’s strategic plan to raise the efficiency and reliability of its water networks. It is one of the various development projects to raise efficiency, reliability, and operational capacity of water networks in Dubai to improve the sustainable development of the Emirate. The project involves installing systems that protect the network in the event of sudden power outages in pumping stations, which results in different water pressures across

the network. This causes leaks and malfunctions in the main water network,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“This system absorbs the variations in the water pressure in the network through special devices installed in the pumping stations to provide the necessary protection. The project is expected to be completed by June 2016,” added Al Tayer.

E-Waste collection serviceDubai Municipality introduced the first electronic waste collection service in Dubai, in partnership with Averda, a leading waste management company, as part of the Civic body’s ‘Clean Up the World’ campaign.

A round-up of recent environment-related happenings in the UAE.


The campaign involves the planting of 350 trees and conversion of sandpits to green sporting fields in schools across the seven Emirates.


The Director-General of Dubai Municipality, Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, said, “We are delighted to launch the first e-Waste collection service in Dubai, which is part of our wider environmental initiative tackling the harmful effects of electronic waste in landfills.

“The first e-Waste bin is located at the Al Etihad Mall in Muhaisna, and other e-Waste bins will soon be distributed around Dubai.

“The action is part of a sustainable recycling programme to help further the city’s goals in preserving the environment by reducing the amount of electronic waste sent to landfills, minimising the impacts of hazardous e-waste on the environment, and assisting in salvaging valuable material,” he said.

“Electronic goods like laptops and smartphones have limited lifespans, and as these products age, we are starting to see an increase in e-Waste and the need for a specialised solution to manage it,” said Eng. Abdul Majeed Saifaie, director waste management department at Dubai Municipality.

According to Jeroen Vincent, Chief Operating Officer at Averda in the GCC, “The new and smart e-Waste bin utilises a single stream collection method, allowing the waste management company to collect different types of e-Waste via a safe collection method, whereby material is dismantled and channelled for further processing. The product

is also fitted with sensors to alert the company when it is full and need to be emptied,” he said.

Rise of Sustainable Electric Power The first project of its kind in the region, 13-megawatt (MW) installed capacity photovoltaic power plant (PV) at Seih Al Dahal, 30 kilometers southeast of the city of Dubai; is on the verge of verifying it’s carbon emission reductions under the United Nation’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

The project which marks the first phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park; was registered under the CDM on 10th August 2012 and was launched in October 2013.I

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The CDM certification outlines Dubai’s commitment in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and thereby mitigating climate change. From the start of electricity production till the end of July 2014, the plant reduced 10,635tonnes of CO2. Dubai Electricity and Water (DEWA) with support from Dubai Carbon is now in the process of obtaining carbon credits from the United Nations.

“Renewable solar energy is the future, and we must move quickly to move away from our dependence on depleting reserves of fossil fuel. At Dubai Carbon, we believe in facilitating new avenues for generating clean and sustainable energy,” commented Waleed Salman, Chairman of Dubai Carbon.

The CDM verification is the first global environmental investment and credit scheme of its kind from the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Honor for Emirates Animal Welfare SocietyHE Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, honored Dr. Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, chairman of the Emirates Animal Welfare Society (EAWS) and chairman and owner of the Emirates Park Zoo, in recognition of the society’s efforts in spreading awareness regarding animal welfare issues and for the preservation of animal life.

HE Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad urged the public to be kind

to animals and to treat them humanely.

He also encouraged them to get involved and volunteer for animal protection activities, and to promote positive behaviors towards animals. These recommendations are based on nurturing the positive role of animals and their importance for humans, as they play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance.

The honoring was part of the Ministry of Environment and Water’s Second Partners Forum 2014 which was attended by the agents and officials of the ministry, representatives of governmental and semi-governmental institutions, companies, and media partners.

Dubai Carbon is constantly

working towards fostering a

generation of renewable energy

in the United Arab Emirates.

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The Dh1million Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment comprises of five categories open to corporates, government institutions, civil society and individuals.

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In preparation for the second cycle of the Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment, the Zayed

International Foundation for the Environment is currently undertaking an intensive campaign to promote the prestigious Award on a wider scale to various government organisations and institutions across the seven emirates with the aim of attracting nominations from all sectors of the society.

Accordingly, Eng. Hamdan Al Shaer, Higher Committee member and Dr. Eisa M. Abdellatif, Chief Technical Advisor of the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, met with teachers at the Umm Al Quwain Education Zone and Fujairah Education Zone on November 10, 2014 to raise the profile of the Dhs 1 million biennial Award that seeks

to support and encourage individual and collective national environmental initiatives in a bid to contribute to the Green Development Strategy of the UAE.

Speaking at the event, Eng. Hamdan Al Shaer said that the Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment was established and patronised by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to stimulate and appreciate the pioneering national initiatives and best practices aimed at protecting the environment and achieving sustainable development in the U.A.E.

“Designed to promote the values of sustainable development and innovation among the local

community, the Award will recognise outstanding achievements in the field of environment and energy conservation across all sectors of society,” said Eng. Hamdan Al Shaer. “The Award is an extension of the continuous efforts of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in stimulating excellence in the country and his vision to remain at the forefront of nations that endeavor to promote environmental awareness locally, regionally and internationally.”

Under the leadership of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the nation has taken important strides in the process of sustainable development in various fields through its interest in the early issues of environment and sustainable development, and its commitment to the ongoing

Promoting environmental initiatives in the UAE

Zayed Prizec r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

THE EMIRATES APPRECIATION Award for the Environment seeks to recognise and promote the values of sustainable living and environmentally conscious initiatives among the UAE community.

development efforts by employing science and innovations and modern technologies to achieve the goals of sustainable development, Al Shaer noted in his speech.

He also pointed out that the U.A.E. has attained great achievements and promoted its international stature through its strong commitment to environmental issues locally and internationally, as well as translating its commitment into strategies, plans and developed working programmes. The various initiatives launched by the UAE in the recent past with focus on renewable and green architecture, sustainable transport and cleaner production stand testimony to the nation’s deep seated commitment in environmental action, he said.

Al Shaer added that the Award

had achieved an amazing success in its 1st edition and honored elite personalities and foundations, who participated successfully in the national environmental work in the U.A.E. which included Lt. General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai.

While Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan was named the Environmental Personality for his outstanding contributions to promoting environmental conservation and preservation over the years, Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO) was awarded the Industrial Enterprise Award and The Abu Dhabi Council for Education received the award for Educational Institutions. The Award for Invention, Innovation and Environmental Research was given to Dubai Electricity and Water Authority

(Dewa), he pointed out, while the Media and Environmental Awareness award was jointly awarded to the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah and Ms. Azza Yousef Mohammad Al Awadi from Ras Al Khaimah Education Zone.

Eng. Hamdan Al Shaer also reiterated the importance of the Award and its role in encouraging and supporting environmental works, national individual and group initiatives, in addition to stimulating institutions to seek excellence and innovation in order to ensure solutions for environmental issues to consolidate the concept of sustainable development.

Detailing the description and terms of the Award, he said that the Award is divided into five categories:



Environmental Personality; Industrial Enterprise - Large Industries and Small & Medium Industries; Educational Institutions - Universities & Institutes and Schools; Innovation/Invention and Environmental Research - Innovation/Invention and Applied Research; and Media and Environmental Awareness - Mass Media and Organizations.

The Award is open for individuals, Government Institutions, Private Enterprise, and Civil Society Organizations that have substantial achievements in the field of environment, he added. Al Shaer also explained that nomination documents should clearly highlight the excellence of achievements and demonstrate the direct involvement of the nominee and that the candidate must facilitate the work of the Jury and allow them

to conduct field visits for validation of data and information mentioned in the nomination form and documents when it deems appropriate.

It was in June this year that the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment in cooperation with Ministry of Environment and Water had launched the second edition of the Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment, which is aimed at

ensuring solutions for environmental issues.

The Zayed International Foundation for the Environment will present the Emirates Appreciation Award at the Sharjah Cultural Palace on 10th December, at the Fujairah City for Industrial & Educational enterprise on 11th December and at the RAK Educational Zone on 22nd December.

12Zayed Prizec r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

Dubai Green Economy Partnerships (Dubai GEP) returned with positives from

the recently concluded World Summit of Regions for Climate, organized by R20 Regions of Climate Action in Paris in October this year. Dubai GEP took a major step towards strengthening their green footprint as they signed an MoU with the organizers ‘R20 Regions of Climate Action’ to further enhance green skills in the region.

The Dubai GEP delegation showcased Dubai’s best practices in conceptualizing and maintaining a green economy, winning plaudits from the high-profile attendees that included region and local governments from across thefive continents, as well aseconomic leaders.

“The Dubai GEP delegation did the country proud at the world forum. We were lauded for our international-standard best practices in green economy. Furthermore, the MoU signing with the organisers of the summit will only boost these efforts across borders.

“The report showcases Dubai’s credentials in successfully implementing a green economy, which will grow further thanks to the cross sharing of knowledge,” said Waleed Salman, Chairman, Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence and Dubai Green Economy Partnership.

In separate meetings held with UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and UNSDSN (United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network) a potential

collaboration for sustainable tourism and innovative solutions for green economy were discussed. As Dubai’s tourism plans continue to forge ahead at a rampant pace, these partnerships will play an important role in maintaining the sustainability of the Emirate.

“Dubai’s growth across all verticals is rapid, and, it is extremely important to ensure that we take the right steps as we build them. Power and resource consumption, for example, need to be looked at a foundation stage.

“As the footfall of tourists increases, we need to ensure that we follow a green and sustainable model that will help the generations to come,” commented Fahad Al Gergawi, CEO Dubai FDI and Secretary General of Dubai Green Economy Partnership.

Dubai GEP signs MoU to further enhance region’s green skills

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Delegation discusses potential partnerships with various United Nations’ bodies to for sustainable tourism and innovative solutions for green economy in Paris.

Waleed Salman, Chairman of Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence and Dubai Green Economy Partnership; Michele Sabban, President of R20 Regions of Climate Action



The eighth edition of the Emirates International Date Palm Festival showcased a wide variety of the finest dates and the U.A.E.’s rich cultural heritage associated with date palm.

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Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime

Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), the eighth edition of the Emirates International Date Palm Festival (EIDPF) kicked off on 24th November, 2014 in Abu Dhabi showcasing dates and its related products from around the world.

EIDPF, the region’s largest specialised event dedicated to dates, was held from November 24 to 29 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, ADNEC.

Organised by ADFCA in association with Date Palm Friends Society and SIAL Middle East, EIDPF 2014 drew more than 200 exhibitors from 16

countries, as well as 20,000 visitors in an entertaining and family-oriented environment. Most notably, the event offered discounts up to 40 per cent on a wide range of date varieties.

In a bid to introduce the public to a range of dates, this year’s edition showcased the fruit from several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, Morocco, Tunisia, USA and Oman.

According to Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Head of EIDPF Organising Committee and Director of Communications and Community Service at ADFCA, “The Emirates International Festival Date Palm is an ideal platform for those interested and involved in the date palm industry including farmers, investors and manufacturers of date products. In

organising this annual event, we aim to highlight the nutritional benefits of dates and enhance its marketing potential, locally and globally, by leveraging global participation in the event.”

Amongst the several new activities and programmes introduced this year, the highlight was the Date Palm Museum featuring a large ensemble of images, photographs, cut-outs and display screens which also showcased live demonstrations by craftsmen, he said. “The Museum offers a rich learning opportunity to visitors on the history of dates, as well as recipes for the preparation of various date delicacies.”

The festival brought together the largest exporters and producers of dates from the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia,

Eighth Emirates International Date Palm Festival kicks off

Cover Storyc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

DATE PALMS CONSTITUTE 98 per cent of fruit trees in the UAE and the country is one of the world’s top ten producers of dates.

Oman, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and Iran. In addition to the U.A.E. national pavilion, over 200 exhibitors had their individual dedicated pavilions.

“Dates are important crops in the U.A.E. and an integral part of our history and cultural heritage,” noted Mohammad Al Raisi. “With the rising production and consumption, today dates have a strong presence in international markets. Food industry recognises dates as an important ingredient in preparing pastries, popular sweets, juices, among others due to its numerous nutritional and health benefits.

“It is indeed noteworthy that our leadership extends special attention to date palms by establishing dedicated centres and organising numerous

exhibitions and festivals.”

The Emirates International Date Palm Festival also featured various social, cultural and artistic activities. Amongst these were educational and fun initiatives including an educational maze and a massive message board that invited visitors to leave short messages. Palm tree climbing, another key activity, gave visitors an opportunity to take ‘selfies’ while climbing a date palm for posting on social media websites.

The food preparation area, a date tasting zone, heritage tents, and kids’ zone also served as crowd pullers at the event.

An emblem of sustainabilityThe date palm is the ultimate emblem of sustainability. Without this tree life would have been unlivable in the

region. Date palms flourished in irrigated oases such as Al Ain and Dhaid, but are also found in wadi valleys, on fertile plains watered by run-off from the mountains, and in desert gardens like those found in Liwa. Here date palm roots reach down to the water gathered just beneath the surface of the absorbent sand.

Dates have been supplementing the diet of local people for over 7,000 years and have been cultivated as a crop for over 5,000 years. But following the introduction of the innovative falaj system of irrigation around 4,000 years ago, dates took a dominant role in the life of the Emirates and the cultivation of the date palm has always been by far the most important form of agriculture in the area.



In every household, on board ships, or when travelling in the desert, either fresh or conserved dates were eaten at least as a supplement to other food. Often they were the main source of nourishment along with camel milk.

Boiled and packed into palm leaves, dates kept for a long time and combined with camel milk provided a highly nutritious meal. The flesh of the date is 75 to 80 per cent sugar (glucose or fructose, known as invert sugar). Like honey, invert sugar has a host of good properties: it is easily digestible, restricts harmful bacterial acitivity and provides instant energy. Since dates have very little fat and are rich in vitamins A, B and D, they form a perfect complement to camels’ milk, which contains vitamin C and fat. This explains why the classical bedu diet, which appeared to be so restrictive,

was in fact remarkably nutritious and sustaining.

Dates, supplemented by bread, salt-fish and goat, and sometimes camel, were also the staple food of people living in settlements. Traditionally used as cattle fodder, not even the date stone was wasted. Dates were and still remain a much-valued symbol of hospitality and a very popular food in the Emirates. They are also the first food consumed on breaking the fast as the sun sets in Ramadan.

But it was not just for their fruit that date palms were treasured. Date plams provided much-need shelter and shade for humans, animals and plants. Palm leaves and fronds were used to make fans, food trays, food covers, baskets, mats, and’arish houses and boats. Fronds were even

bound together and lined with pitch to make water tanks. The fibre of the trunk was turned into rope, fish traps, brushes, sacks, stuffing for mattresses, and the wood was used to make furniture, boxes, roof beams and many other items.

Today, date palms constitute 98 per cent of fruit trees in the UAE and the country is one of the world’s top ten producers of dates.

Pollination of the date palm is a complicated process because the date palm is dioecious (male and female flowers do not occur on the same tree). Wind-pollination is possible but in palm gardens since male trees cannot bear fruit and were normally discarded, it was common practice to pollinate date palms manually. This was a very labour-intensive process and it

16Cover Storyc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

also had to be completed in a very restricted time-frame during which the female flower is receptive to male pollen, a period of less than two days.

Nowadays large-scale propagation of the date palm in the UAE takes place in tissue culture laboratories. The plants are produced and grown to a stable stage in nurseries before they are sold to farmers. The varieties on sale are completely pest and disease-free, grow faster than normal offshoots, have a strong root system and a survival rate of close to 100 per cent.

A rich, learning opportunityOne of the chief highlights of the eighth edition of the Emirates International Date Palm Festival was the Date Palm Museum featuring a large ensemble of images, photographs, cut-outs and display screens.

The Museum offers a rich learning opportunity to visitors as it shows the current and historical importance of the dates and the palm tree. This vital information was displayed in an interactive format which enabled visitors to greatly enjoy the presentation.

Information at the museum was displayed through drawings, pictures and illustrative screens. Additionally live display of craftsmen creating traditional handicrafts with the various parts of the date palm proved

to be a treat for visitors.

Key features of the Date Palm Museum included the following:• Growth stages of palm tree• Parts of palm tree and dates • Growth stages of the date fruit• Stages of pollination, harvesting and

drying of dates • Date varieties- showcasing the

most important types of dates• History of the UAE’s palm• History of Islam and dates• Exhibition of Emirati traditional

handicrafts made out of palm• Building the areesh Department• Shasheh making Department• Interactive laboratory and

experiments• Showcase of modern palm products • Did you know section - General

information about dates and palm trees

Dates have been supplementing the

diet of local people for over 7,000

years and have been cultivated

as a crop for over 5,000 years.



The Zayed International Foundation for the Environment announces extension of nomination period of the Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment; new deadline is 28 February, 2015.

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Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Bin Fahad, Chairman of the Higher Committee of the

Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, has announced the decision to extend the last date for receiving nominations for the Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment.

Addressing a meeting of the Higher Committee members of the Zayed Foundation last month, he revealed that the decision to extend the nomination period was taken in light of the fact that the second cycle of the Emirates Appreciation Award had elicited tremendous response and that nominations were still pouring in. The new deadline for accepting nominations is 28 February, 2015.

Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Bin

Fahad made the announcement while chairing a meeting of the Higher Committee of the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment. Higher Committee members who attended the event included Ali Ahmed Al Najjar, Col. Dr. Ghaith Ghanim Al Suwaidi, Eng. Hamdan Khalifa Al Shaer, Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman Sultan Al Sharhan, Dr. Meshgan Al Awar, Secretary General of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment, Dr. Eisa M. Abdellatif, Chief Technical Advisor, Zayed International Foundation for the Environment.

It was to recognize and promote pioneering contributions in the field of the environment and sustainable development at the national level and to raise environmental awareness across all sectors of the UAE society

that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai decided to establish the Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment, said Dr. Bin Fahad.

The AED 1 million Award has been receiving a huge response judging by the nominations being filed for the second cycle, he said.

“I hope that the extension of the deadline to February 28, 2015 will allow us to accommodate a wider segment of competitors from individuals and organisations in the UAE that are committed to environmental standards and contribute towards the promotion of a culture of environmental awareness among members of society.”

Nomination period for Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment extended

Cover Storyc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

THE EMIRATES APPRECIATION Award for the Environment seeks to recognise and promote the values of sustainable living and environmentally conscious initiatives among the UAE community.

Detailing the description and terms of the Award, he said that the Award is divided into five categories: Environmental Personality; Industrial Enterprise - Large Industries and Small & Medium Industries; Educational Institutions - Universities & Institutes and Schools; Innovation/Invention and Environmental Research - Innovation/Invention and Applied Research; and Media and Environmental Awareness - Mass Media and Organizations.

Dr. Bin Fahad also explained that nomination documents should clearly highlight the excellence of achievements and demonstrate the direct involvement of the nominee and that the candidate must facilitate the work of the Jury and allow them to conduct field visits for validation of data and information mentioned in

the nomination form and documents when it deems appropriate.

In October this year, in preparation for the second cycle of the Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment, the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment had organized an open meeting at the Dubai Police Academy in the presence of members of the Higher Committee of the Zayed Foundation and representatives from several environmental and educational institutes across the UAE.

A copy of the Emirates Appreciation Award brochure was handed over to the Department of Economic Development in Dubai for distribution to industrial and commercial establishments. Steps are also being taken to promote the Award

through the efficient use of both the print and electronic media and through the official website of the Emirates Appreciation Award for the Environment which enables greater interaction with the user, saidDr. Bin Fahad.

Active use of social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter will help further promote the Award in the second cycle, he added.

In addition, the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment has also commenced an intensive campaign to promote the prestigious Award on a wider scale to various government organisations and institutions across the sevenemirates with the aim of attracting nominations from all sectors of the society, he concluded.



Dubai Municipality has formed a special committee for sustainability which will study and execute green initiatives.

20 c r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

The Government of Dubai decided to be one of the top 10 sustainable cities in the

world by 2020 as part of its strategic goal to enhance Dubai’s leadership in sustainability efforts in all sectors and levels,” said Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, director general of Dubai Municipality on 18th November 2014 while delivering the keynote speech at the second Sustainable Design & Construction Conference hosted at The Big 5 held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

“Building a sustainable city encompasses all aspects that impacts on the society, economy and environment. These elements were taken into consideration by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and

Ruler of Dubai when he stated that “Our goal is to build an economy that protects the environment as well as an environment that supports the growth of economy.”

“The Dubai Municipality’s initiatives for sustainability start from urban planning and include initiatives and efforts in Water Treatment, Environment & Waste Management, Thermal Insulation, Energy Conservation, Green Buildings, and Green City,” he said.

Lootah explained that the Green Buildings Regulations and specifications were introduced in 2010 by Dubai Municipality to improve the sustainability of the emirate’s buildings by enhancing a healthy indoor life style and saving consumption of water, electricity,

Sustainability

Civic Body focuses on green building rules

The Green Buildings

Regulations improve the

sustainability of Dubai’s

buildings by enhancing a

healthy indoor life style

and saving consumption

of water, electricity,

and raw materials

in construction and

operation phases.

“


THE MUNICIPALITY IS implementing the green building rules in its new projects, and is taking the necessary steps to change the old systems to energy saving systems.

and raw materials in construction and operation phases. These regulations were mandatory for government projects and optional for nongovernment projects until 2013. From March 2014 it is mandatory for all new projects to completely abide by the green building regulations of Dubai Municipality.

“The concept of Green Buildings will enhance the profile of Dubai among sustainable cities. The 79 regulations will deal with the buildings from its designing stage by choosing sustainable sites, using appropriate orientation and using modern techniques and technologies which help in minimizing the environmental impacts of construction phase in balance with economic vision. The regulations and specifications support green products and materials

used in construction and operation processes,” he continued.

“The mechanism of implementation has been developed to be simple and integrated with the previous stages of Dubai Municipality procedures for permitting and executing projects. DM also published the regulations and Practice Guide to explain them, and provided the stakeholders with Green Building Materials Guide to enhance the green culture and green suppliers’ efforts in Dubai,” he elaborated.

“The key targets for Dubai’s Green Building Regulations include saving the consumption of water and electricity, reducing the waste, reducing CO2 emissions with reasonable and control increment in costs with future plan to prevent any additional cost compared by traditional projects. The regulations

also deal with ecology and planning, building vitality, resource effectiveness: Energy, Water, Materials and Waste. Building a sustainable city depends on the integration between the buildings and infrastructure which will serve them, so deciding what the best practices in construction are should be aligned with sustainable infrastructure to gain the maximum benefits and profits for the society,” he added.


The meeting is part of preparations for World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2015, which will be held under the theme ‘Global Partnerships for a Sustainable Future’ in April next year.

22

His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai

Supreme Council of Energy, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Chairman of the World Green Economy Summit (WGES) 2015 received a high-profile delegation from the Regions of Climate Action (R20) Board, which is chaired by Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Governor of California.

The delegation included Terry Tamminen, Board Member and Strategic Advisor to the Founding Chair, and Christophe Nuttall, Executive Director of R20. The meeting is part of preparations for WGES 2015, which is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister

of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, under the theme ‘Global Partnerships for a Sustainable Future.’ This Summit will be held on 22-23 April 2015.

The meeting was attended by Waleed Salman, Vice Chairman of WGES, Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA, Stephane Le Gentil, CEO of Etihad ESCO, Ivano Ianelli, CEO of the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence, and Ahmed Abdullah, Senior Manager of External Communications at DEWA.

At the ‘Road to Paris - World Climate Region Summit,’ held recently in Paris, Al Tayer signed a partnership agreement with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chairman of R20, to join WGES 2015 as an official partner. The Summit focuses on the

transition towards a global green economy, as well as promoting Dubai’s position as a capital of green economy and sustainable development.

“In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and to support the Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative of His Highness, and the UAE Vision 2021, Dubai has launched the World Green Economy Summit 2015, which is organised by DEWA under the umbrella of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

“The summit is a global platform and a strategic enabler for the global green economy agenda,” said Al Tayer.

Vice Chairman of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy meets R20 delegation

Green Economyc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

WGES 2015 WILL bring together top speakers, including CEOs, business executives, entrepreneurs, and national leaders.

“At the meeting, the R20 Board has confirmed its participation at WGES 2015, which brings together key decision makers in green economy from around the world. WGES 2015 will expand to focus on new pillars and the introduction of further partnerships as well key initiatives.

“WGES 2015 will bring together top speakers, including CEOs, business executives, entrepreneurs, and national leaders. It will be a platform for exchanging knowledge, to strengthen the position of Dubai as a global hub for green economy, energy efficiency and security, investment in renewable energy, and demand side management to curb carbon emissions and achieve the objectives of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, to reduce energy consumption by 30% by 2030,” concluded Al Tayer.

United Nation’s Helen Clark receives State of Green Economy Report Three students from the Carbon Ambassador Programme presented the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ms Helen Clark, with the ‘State of Green Economy Report 2015’, during her international business trip on 21st November in Abu Dhabi. The report was developed in collaboration with the UNDP country office in the UAE and released on 10th October 2014.

The report showcases Dubai’s progress as a green economy, and takes into consideration initiatives undertaken by private and public companies, adoption of

international best practices and the UN’s latest research and trends. It digests and summarises the important discourse started at the first World Green Economy Summit (WGES) from April 2014 and sets thematic impulses for the next summit announced to be held from 22nd – 23rd April 2015.

The report features six chapters, including smart cities and living, lifestyle and consumer choices, tourism, industries, and finance and investments. The United Nations Network contributed extensively to the content, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) featuring editorials.

Shaima Al Obaidli, Fatma Al Shamsi and Bader Al Hammadi from the Carbon Ambassador Programme present Ms. Helen Clark, with the ‘State of Green Economy Report 2015.



Emirates Golf Club receives sustainability award for efficient use of resources at prestigious IAGTO awards ceremony.


Emirates Golf Club, the annual host of the European Tour sanctioned Omega Dubai

Desert Classic has been presented with the Efficient Use of Resources Award at the prestigious International Association of Golf Tour Operator (IAGTO) Awards held in Lake Como, Italy.

Based in Dubai, Emirates Golf Club remains an icon for golf in the United Arab Emirates. The Club boasts world-class golfing facilities combined with casual and fine-dining restaurants, along with swimming, fitness and tennis facilities making it a renowned all-encompassing leisure hub.

As part of their partnership with Golf Environment Organization (www.golfenvironment.org), IAGTO recognised environmental and social

excellence at the 15th annual awards ceremony. The sustainability awards have rewarded and raised awareness of the tremendous work being done by many of IAGTO’s 800 golf courses and golf resorts around the world.

Emirates Golf Club was presented with the award for a highly focused and sustained approach to irrigation water technology in a region where pressure on the vital resource is enormous.

The Club has invested in a state-of-the-art irrigation system alongside other key initiatives which have resulted in significant benefits to the environment, including a reduction in irrigation consumption by 34%. As part of the long-term strategy, Emirates Golf Club changed the water supply to treated sewage effluent

water – 100% recycled water that would otherwise maintain a high environmental cost to dispose of. To help this succeed, the turf grass was also transitioned to a variety far better adapted to lower quality water. The club also initiated a turfgrass reduction programme to minimise areas requiring high maintenance, including fertility, mowing and irrigation providing numerous environmental benefits.

Craig Haldane, Director of Golf Course Maintenance at Emirates Golf Club, said: “The installation of the irrigation system took 208 days and over 150,000 man hours to complete. This project is a major milestone that has allowed us to maintain the course to the exacting standards that our members and guests have been accustomed to

Dubai’s golf icon honored for sustainedapproach to irrigation water technology

Award


EMIRATES GOLF CLUB, host of the European Tour sanctioned Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, was the first all-grass championship golf course in the Middle East when it opened in 1988.

enjoying, ensuring that Emirates Golf Club remains the premier club in the region for many years to come.

“Technology has moved on considerably since the previous irrigation system was installed in 1988. The new system, using over 8,800 metres of mainline piping and 33,500 metres of lateral piping, makes use of the latest technology and delivers water savings by ensuring increased distribution efficiency throughout the golf course.”

As part of the upgrade, a new state-of-the-art pump station that allows up to 6,500 gallons of treated sewage effluent (TSE) water per minute to travel through the network, was installed. Because of this added pump capacity, watering time has been significantly shortened, essential

from an agronomic perspective. One of the key considerations for upgrading the system was to make it environmentally sound by improving the distribution of the golf club’s most valuable resource, water, and minimising all waste where possible.

Christopher May, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Golf, said: “The installation of the irrigation system is a significant event in the history of the Majlis course. The investment has

been made in accordance with our wider environmental strategy focused on providing measurable benefits to the environment, our members and our visitors.”

The award was presented during the 2015 IAGTO Awards Gala Dinner, which took place at Villa Erba, Lake Como, Italy, on the final night of the International Golf Travel Market, the golf tourism industry’s annual global trade show.


Dubai Police has signed an MoU with Dubai Carbon to jointly develop initiatives for energy

efficiency, fuel saving, and carbon offsetting. The success of these projects will catapult Dubai police as carbon neutral - the first police force in the world to achieve this feat.

“Dubai Police, an integral part of Dubai’s fabric, has been progressive in its operation since its inception, as many innovative initiatives have shown in the past. Now, the police are tackling the issue of environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions head on, as one of the very few international constituted bodies enforcing the law,” said Waleed Salman, Chairman, Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence.

To get things underway, Dubai Carbon will conduct a general carbon audit

and energy audits in all Dubai Police buildings. DCCE is set to collaborate with Etihad ESCO to identify potential energy saving measures and suggest technical improvements to materialize these.

Following these, efficient buildings might be legible for Green building certifications including LEEDS, ISO etc. Moving away from building structures, the other areas to be evaluated are fleet efficiency and renewable energy opportunities, e.g. car park shading or building rooftops.

The immediate step will involve Dubai Carbon handing over the ‘Green Initiatives’ roadmap to Dubai Police. The authorities will then deliberate the way forward. The success of these projects will propel Dubai Police as one of the leading forces world over in terms of

efficiency; it is also in sync with their Zero Carbon Emission strategy.

The partnership between Dubai Police and Dubai Carbon is going to effectively contribute to the sustainable and green growth of Dubai and UAE’s economy, enable the growth of green trade and investment in regional markets and to accelerate the adoption of green technologies, products and services worldwide.

Dubai Police signs MoU with DubaiCarbon to develop energy efficient initiatives


Dubai Police signs MoU with DubaiCarbon to develop energy efficient initiatives

The world’s foremost global best practices network, the World Economic Forum, best known

for its annual meetings in Davos, Switzerland gathered its members at ‘Global Agenda Summit 2014’ in Dubai to discuss how to create solutions for key global challenges. Over 1,000 business leaders, experts, strategic thinkers, scholars and journalists from over 80 countries, including the UAE, met from 9th to 11th November in thematic working groups to develop specific strategies and a plan of action for each issue.

The participants were divided into thematic ‘Global Agenda Councils’ (GAC) comprised of globally recognized subject matter experts from all over the globe who receive a 2-year mandate. These working groups, created in 2014, promote innovative

thinking on critical global issues and practical strategies to be presented for endorsement and implementation.

According to Waleed Salman, Chairman of Dubai Carbon and invited subject matter expert to the ‘Decarbonizing Energy’ Council, “The process of sharing knowledge from the numerous and ambitious initiatives undertaken in Dubai, from Smart Grids to Demand Side Management programmes, is pivotal in its potential for replicability and scalability as part of the global Green Economy agenda.”

Previously, the founder and executive chairman of the WEF, Klaus Schwab, praised in his opening speech the UAE’s role model in embracing innovation and pointed out that this should be replicated at the global level. Waleed Salman added, “Reducing carbon

emissions throughout all industries remains a priority on the Global Agenda and especially for Dubai Carbon and the Emirate of Dubai.”

During the three-day conference, the ‘Decarbonizing Energy’ council concluded in depth discussions on focus areas, vision for success and other challenges for decarbonizing energy. Within cross council interactions, the members held and thematic discussions across the full GAC network, specifically with ‘Future of Electricity’, ‘Governance of Sustainability’, ‘Future of Mining and Metals’ and ‘Water’.

The forum furthermore identified the growing economic inequality, increasing joblessness; global pollution and severe weather events are among the world’s most pressing threats.

Innovation starts in Dubai

27

Independent international thought leaders of the World Economic Forum set camp in Dubai to discuss the low-carbon agenda and other global key challenges.



The “Center for Sustainable Cities” will be located at the ‘The Perfect City’ – the first specialized sustainable city in the world.

28

In the attendance of HE Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, HE Sultan

Butti Bin Mejren Director General of Dubai Land Department and Director Generals from Dubai Government entities, Dubai Land Department (DLD) launched The Regional Center for Resource Efficient and Sustainable Cities for the Arab Region, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the leading international organization in the environmental field.

The UNEP operates under its main mission to promote environmental sustainability, while advocating for the efficient use of natural resources, and contributing to sustainable development.

The center was launched following

a Memorandum of Understanding signed between DLD and UNEP, and will serve as a regional hub for promoting, supporting and enabling the efficient use of resources in cities in the Middle East and North Africa.

The “Center for Sustainable Cities” will be located at the ‘The Perfect City’ – the first specialized sustainable city in the world. The center will be established in accordance with Dubai and UAE laws and regulations in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water and UNEP – as a regional hub of UNEP relevant initiatives.

DLD and UNEP have agreed to a long-term collaboration through the establishment of such resource facility that aims to build local, national and regional capacity for resource

efficient policies and to develop and deliver relevant tools, approaches and support for resource efficient, low-carbon and sustainable cities in the Arab region.

His Excellency the Minister of Environment and Water stated that the United Arab Emirates have made important strides towards achieving the goals of sustainable development through the adoption of a set of tasks and strategies, the first and foremost strategy is the “Emirates Green Development”, based on it the UAE adopted the green economy approach.

Pointing out that the six main aspects of this approach covering various aspects of economic, social and environmental life represents one of the most important tools of

Dubai Land Department launches “Center for Sustainable Cities”

Launchc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

THE NEWLY LAUNCHED center will help in creating a network for potentially interested parties to set policies in the region.

the UAE, which seeks to promote sustainable development efforts and to maintain the gains made in the past years, adding that sustainable cities represent one of the main objectives in the UAE’s strategy for green development.

Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad added that the establishment of the center will enhance the leadership role of the UAE in the field of sustainable cities, praising the efforts made by DLD in partnership with UNEP for the establishment of this center.

“The UAE, which has succeeded in adopting and implementing many options and solutions designed to achieve sustainable development, such as sustainable building standards and sustainable transport, clean energy and promote energy

efficiency, started the work for the UAE 2021 vision, to move to the concept of smart cities based on innovation and employing the latest technologies values in resource management, conservation and sustainable production and consumption patterns to maintain our way of life and strength it,” said Dr. Rashid.

“At DLD we are paying utmost importance to the issues relating to environmental protection and conservation, as we are aware of the vital role UNEP plays, especially through those initiatives related to the promotion of sustainable consumption and production and the efficient use of resources.

We are fully confident that the adoption of policies and tools for

sustainable buildings will help us improve the usage of energy and allow for the efficient use of resources, particularly as we work on developing and implementing green buildings and sustainable cities initiatives,” said Majida Ali Rashed, Assistant Director-General and Head of Real Estate Investment Management and the promotion center the investment arm of DLD.

The purpose of this MOU is to provide a framework of cooperation and partnerships, and to facilitate collaboration between the Parties to further their shared goals and objectives in regard to the promotion of sustainable consumption and production patterns and resource efficient cities, including relevant policies, practices and tools in key sectors.



“UNEP is very pleased to collaborate with Dubai Land and the Ministry of Environment and Water in this great and ambitious endeavor, for further promoting resource efficiency and environmental sustainability in Dubai, the UAE and the Arab Region,” said Arab Hoballah, Chief of Sustainable Consumption and Production in UNEP.

“As a hub for lifestyles, education, culture, innovation and investments; cities are emerging as political entities, actors and markets. Increasingly, it is getting clearer that there could be no sustainable development if not carried out at a city level.

Driving sustainability requires adequate knowledge, policies, tools and actions for the necessary transformative change, which will run necessarily through Resource Efficiency and

Sustainable Consumption and Production at city level.

“This is precisely what the “Center for Resource Efficient and Sustainable Cities for the Arab Region” is aiming at, providing appropriate knowledge and capacity to enable city managers and stakeholders to play an active role in ensuring development of the cities and supporting sustainable urban lifestyles while decoupling growth from environmental impacts and increasing use of resources,” Hoballah concluded.

The center aims to create a long-term collaboration leading to, through the establishment of such a resource facility, to strengthening local, national and regional capacity for SCP and resource efficient policies, and to develop and deliver tools, approaches

and support for sustainable cities in the Arab region.

As part of DLD responsibility, and its policy on local sustainable development in the United Arab Emirates, they will develop, promote and implement all the functions of the areas of cooperation, in close partnership with the United Nations Environment Program.

The center will develop the much-needed knowledge base to better understand the flows of resources and their use, in support to well informed decision making process, to provide policy advice and support in developing and delivering capacity building to enable relevant stakeholders – in particular authorities at local and city levels, as well as national and regional levels,

30Launchc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

including civil society and private sector actors – to promote, adopt and implement relevant resource efficient and sustainable development policies and practices.

Accordingly, the center will survey and assess, together with strategic regional partners, related challenges, needs and gaps and well as opportunities for SCP and resource efficiency at city level, define relevant and adequate policies, elaborate strategies, identify technologies and best practices in the region that have contributed to reducing the environmental impact of cities and supported efficient use of resources; specifically in reducing GHG emissions, improving energy and resource efficiency, hence contributing to potential climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The center will also identify, initiate, catalyze needed multi-stakeholder partnerships, necessary for effective delivery towards a transformative change; the center will act as platform and facilitator for regional cooperation, for the exchange of best practices and lessons learned, as well as a means of transfer of related knowledge and practices, through awareness raising and training for policy makers at national, local and city and levels, using in particular relevant material, policies and tools, developed by UNEP for their implementation.

Together with UNEP and other relevant and interested partners, international organizations, private sector, research and civil society in general as well as other public authorities, the center will organize

awareness raising and capacity building sessions addressing SCP, resource efficiency and low-carbon related issues in the region.

Majida concluded: “The new center will play a pioneering role in creating awareness by organizing events to raise awareness, cultivate interest and support around the resource efficient city agenda, and aims to attract new partners to both UNEP GI-REC (Global Initiative for Resource Efficient Cities) and SBCI (Sustainable Building and Climate Initiative) in the Arab region.

This can be achieved through enhancing regional cooperation and capacity to share experience in establishing and implementing resource efficient policies in sectors such as buildings, transport, land-use, food and water.”

The “Center for Sustainable

Cities” will be located at the ‘The

Perfect City’ – the first specialized

sustainable city in the world



The Middle East Natural and Organic Products Expo (MENOPE) is the Middle East’s only niche expo for organic and natural products and was held from November 25 to November 27 in Dubai.


H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed Mohammed Bin Fahad, the UAE Minister of Environment

& Water, officially inaugurated the Middle East’s only niche expo for organic and natural products, MENOPE 2014, which was held from November 25 to November 27 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC).

The Middle East Natural and Organic Products Expo (MENOPE) which is in its 12th edition this year has attracted over 125 companies from more than 25 countries across the world and attracted over 5,000 visitors from across the region.

H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment & Water assured that the UAE government is keen to enhance food

security. He added that the ministry’s efforts in strengthening food security in the country and promoting food safety and sustainability of the local production is one of its strategic goals which will ensure environmental sustainability as a national responsibility by 2021.

He added that the MENOPE has become a leading platform for global and regional companies to enter Middle East market. The expo is a chance to overview the innovative solutions and technology used in productions while taking into consideration the natural resources and protection of the environment. This platform is also an opportunity to exchange experiences, by contributing to the strengthening of the role and efforts of scientific research in the organic sector locally, regionally and globally.

To ensure sustainable development while protecting the environment and strengthening the country’s position in the adoption of green initiative, the ministry is trying to raise awareness about organic products.

Estimates put the growth of the Middle East market for organic and natural products at a CAGR of 12-15 per cent. According to a Euromonitor study, the MENA market for organic products alone would be to the tune of US$120 million by 2017.

Over the last more than a decade, MENOPE has provided a salient platform for buyers and sellers to meet and prosper in the growing market of Middle East. The show has opened significant opportunity for global companies to access the rapidly growing Middle East market.

UAE Minister of Environment &Water officially opens MENOPE 2014

Exhibition


ACCORDING TO A Euromonitor study, the MENA market for organic products alone would be to the tune of US$120 million by 2017.

The exhibition was also supported by International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and saw the participation of many international companies. In addition, many governmental authorities like Dubai Municipality, Ministry of Agriculture of Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, Saudi Organic Farming Association, Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health, Govt. of India also participated in the event.

Eng. Nadim Al Fuqaha, Managing Director Global Links, organisers of the expo, said: “This MENOPE has attracted a larger contingent of global participation a significant indication of its appeal among global companies keen to enter and expand in the Middle East market, one of the world’s fastest growing market for organic and natural products.”

“The organic and natural products movement in the Middle East is now very diversified and it embraces the need for a sustainable lifestyle. The product categories in this segment have expanded to include cosmetic, beauty and lifestyle products as well, which in itself is a huge market,” Eng. Fuqaha added.

It is worth mentioning that the exhibition’s growth has been in tandem with the industry growth in the MENA market, known to be growing at a faster pace than the global average. In the last decade, CAGR of organic and natural products industry has been in the range of 12-15 per cent, thanks to the heightened awareness on good, natural health and a lifestyle that is sustainable

MENOPE 2014 showcased a variety

of products spanning across Herbals and Spices, Food & Beverages, Cereal Products, Supplements, Health Care products, Natural Living, Natural Cosmetics, Healing Products, Natural remedies, Traditional Medicines, Spas, Relaxation facilities, Pet productsand Fabrics.


IRENA opens council meeting in UAE capital amid global calls for expanding renewable energy.


The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) gathered representatives from

over 90 countries in Abu Dhabi in early November 2014 to review and recommend actions to scale-up renewable energy around the world. The two-day meeting opened on the heels of the release of the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which recommended the decarbonisation of the world’s energy mix by 2100.

“Any solution to address climate change requires a massive scale-up in renewable energy,” said IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin. “And as momentum builds around the climate issue, so does the focus on renewable energy – because not only can renewable energy combined with energy efficiency keep the global

climate to a two degree temperature rise, it can do so affordably.”

Among the major areas of focus at the two-day meeting, the Council discussed strategies to increase IRENA’s engagement in the global climate change effort.

IRENA’s expanding role in the international climate change community came to the fore at the UN Climate Summit in September when countries, international organizations, businesses and civil society rallied in support of two major renewable energy initiatives spearheaded by IRENA, the Africa Clean Energy Corridor and the Small Island Developing States Lighthouse Initiative.

“Since the establishment of the

Agency over three years ago, we have been working closely with our membership to establish the business case for renewable energy,” said Mr. Amin.

“And now that the economic advantages of renewables are evident for the world to see—and their remarkable socio-economic benefits become increasingly clear—it is imperative for IRENA to participate, even lead, some of the climate action efforts.”

Renewables will continue to play a major role at the UNFCCC high-level climate talks in Lima, Peru next month. This event is seen by many as a precursor to the COP21 meeting in Paris in 2015 when the international community will gather to try and reach a global agreement to address climate change.

Renewable Energy

Call for a massive scale- up in renewable energy


IRENA IS MANDATED as the global hub for renewable energy cooperation and information exchange by 135 Members.

Taking the opportunity of the increased participation at the 8th meeting of the Council, IRENA further expanded its permanent representation. In a succession of ceremonies taking place on the eve of the Council, three diplomatic representatives presented their credentials to IRENA Director-General, Adnan Z. Amin. They included H.E. Mr. Siray Alpha Timbo, Ambassador of Sierra Leone; H.E. Mr. Conrod C. Hunte, Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and; H.E. Mr. Nelson Yemil Chabén Labadie, Ambassador of Uruguay.

These representatives join permanent representatives from 23 other countries who have already been accredited to the Agency under the system of permanent representation,

which enables Members to participate actively and continuously in IRENA activities.

IRENA’s Council is composed of 21 members elected on a rotational basis from the Agency’s growing membership. In just over three years, IRENA membership has grown to 135 Members, reflecting a surging international interest in renewable energy and country commitments to engage in international cooperation. The IRENA Council, which convenes twice yearly, guides the Agency’s programmes and activities and helps set the agenda for the annual Assembly in January 2015 (17-18).

IRENA supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future, and serves as the principal platform for international

cooperation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy.

The Agency promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, energy security and low-carbon economic growth and prosperity.


Dubai Municipality launched the ‘Clean Up the World’ campaign under the slogan ‘Our Place Our Planet Our Responsibility’ in partnership with UNEP in Al Warqaa 3 area.


The ‘Clean Up the World’ campaign organized by Dubai Municipality from 9th to

14th November 2014 under the slogan ‘Our Place, Our Planet, Our Responsibility’ concluded successfully with a new record in the number of volunteers participated and the volume of waste collected from different parts of the emirate during the period of campaign.

This year, the volunteers from government departments, schools and colleges, private companies and organizations totalled 41,000, while the waste collected from different areas mainly from Al Warqa and Mamzar Beach reached 12,000 tons.

The collected waste included general waste, equipments, abandoned

vehicles etc. and these are being disposed using the most effective eco-friendly methods.

Eng. Salah Amiri, assistant director general for environmental and public health services sector at Dubai Municipality said: “The cooperation and coordination between different government and private organizations and the community members are vital to the success of environmental

programmes and activities organized by the civic body with the aim of creating an environmental awareness in various segments of the public towards the fundamental environmental issues.”

“Dubai Municipality has completed 21 years in organizing this globally reputed event in Dubai which has contributed to making our city an ideal and sophisticated place to live,” he said.

Campaign

12,000 tons of waste collected during ‘Clean Up the World’ campaign


THE CIVIC BODY aims to achieve the zero waste concept using the method of reusing, recycling and reducing waste in tune with the best international practices.

Eng. Abdul Majeed Saifaie, director waste management department at Dubai Municipality, said : “We are extremely proud of our community members who have been always rising to the expectations of the civic body by cooperating with us to achieve our vision to create an excellent city that provides the essence of success and comfort of sustainable living.”

He added that it was possible to achieve the goal of Zero Waste as announced by Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, director general of Dubai Municipality during the inauguration of the ‘Clean Up the World’ campaign in the presence of stakeholders from different government organizations and the private sector.

He also shed light on several activities organized by the civic body in schools,

collages, malls and other public places with the aim of spreading awareness on the importance of public cleanliness and maintaining a healthy environment.

“It is worth mentioning that the department has recently launched electronic waste bins and has been organizing a number of lectures, workshops, and field visits in collaboration with its partners targeting specific areas of Dubai to create greater awareness and receive suggestions and complaints to improve our services in line with the best international practices,” he added.

Saifaie also praised the active participation and partnership of Dulsco during the campaign. Dulsco, Dubai Municipality’s official partner in its ‘My City... My Environment’ initiative collected 400 kg of recyclable waste within two hours from 103 residents in Al Mirdif area, proving the high levels of environmental awareness amongst the residents of this place.


EcoWASTE is designed to cover the entire solid waste management services and solutions required to address the dramatic increase in per capita of waste production in the region.


Given the alarming statistics emerging out of the Middle East and North Africa region

that up to 250kg of food is discarded per individual every year at a cost of over US$60 billion dollars annually, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), EcoWaste will turn the spotlight on innovative next generation food waste technology at its second edition in January 2015.

A key highlight of the international waste management exhibition will be a showcase of Hong Kong based-GreenGood Oklin’s revolutionary composting machines that convert organic waste into high-grade compost within 24 hours.

The United Nation Environment Programme estimates that one third

of the food produced worldwide, valued at US$1 trillion, is discarded by consumers. Closer to home, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region relies on imports for over 50% of its food and wastes nearly 16 million tonnes of wheat every year, an amount that could feed up to 100 million people.

With figures suggesting that close to 40% of the daily domestic waste produced by Abu Dhabi and Dubai residents consists of discarded food, managing organic waste is a growing problem in the UAE.

As part of its priority to address critical topics on recycling and effective waste collection, EcoWaste 2015 will highlight GreenGood Oklin’s food waste decomposition systems that can process between two to 500

tonnes of food waste per year.

The UAE is facing an uphill battle with waste generation, particularly with the amounts of food that residents tend to discard. According to figures released by the Abu Dhabi Municipality, 39% of the municipal waste generated by residents in Abu Dhabi is attributed to food waste, while residents in Dubai discard a staggering 38% percent of foodevery day.

Trends do not normally change overnight and as the UAE looks to embark on new initiatives to divert waste from landfills, technologies usually offer the best and quickest solution. EcoWaste 2015 will aim to highlight such solutions for the overarching benefit of the region at large.

Exhibition

EcoWaste 2015 to showcase next generation organic waste technology


ORGANISED AS PART of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), EcoWaste will address critical topics on recycling and effective waste collection.

The effective disposal of organic waste is a major concern. When organic waste decays in landfills, it releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases, such as methane, which is potentially a harmful pollutant. The UAE needs a viable alternative to landfills. Companies such as Oklin integrate next generation technology to offer game changing solutions.

Oklin’s compositing machine does not need to be connected to a water supply or sewer system. The decomposition process, which employs high temperature microorganisms, is energy-efficient and can break down food waste in one day. The system can reduce sold food waste by up to 90% in volume. The end product can be used as a fertilizer in gardens or agricultural land. Therefore, there are no landfill

costs or wastewater.

Amish Choksey, General Manager of GreenGood Eco-tech FZCO, distributors of the technology in the MENA region, said: “Oklin composters employ the most advanced and up-to-date technology to convert food waste. This is made possible by patented aerobic microbes to break down waste at a much faster speed than can be done by anaerobic microbes. These microbes are collected in high temperature regions and are carefully cultured and cultivated in a secure lab.”

Running from 19 – 22 January, EcoWaste, co-hosted by Masdar and Tadweer (Center of Waste Management – Abu Dhabi), seeks holistic solutions for challenges in waste management. The initiative is

expected to draw more than 2,000 buyers and key industry experts as well as 50 leading companies from all around the world to deliberate on international policies and best practices for ensuring a clean and green future.


EWS-WWF (Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF) was named as one of the top

five programmes in the region and in the top 25 globally in the category of Education for Sustainable Development and was invited to present its programme at the UNESCO 2014 World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Japan in November 2014.

This comes at the end of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and also includes examples of good practice and viable approaches to this type of education.

EWS-WWF believes that creating environmentally responsible citizens is the key to the future prosperity and security of our planet and has been sharing its keys of success with

other countries at the conference. The NGO’s environmental education programmes endow students with a range of educational experiences that enable them to develop skills and attitudes to ultimately lead a sustainable future.

To maximize the impact of its environmental efforts, EWS-WWF follows a number of different approaches, including:

Empower students: Developing the students’ sense of responsibility and ownership to the environmental cause is done via the encouraging them to define, plan and deliver changes as part of Eco-Schools UAE. They are also offered the opportunity to work on a further project to upgrade their school’s environmental efficiency with seed funding by EWS-WWF.

Empower teachers: Ensuring teachers are empowered to provide guidance to students is imperative since they are at the forefront of integrating Education for Sustainable Development into the learning process.

Provide locally-relevant information: Since environmental information developed for use in other countries has little significance in the Arab region, EWS-WWF has integrated locally relevant environmental knowledge into its education programmes, such as its online learning portal www.beatiwatani.com.

Encourage community involvement: To ensure students make connections with their local environment and extended community, they are encouraged to share and motivate their neighbourhoods on sustainable lifestyles.

Top UN honor for Emirati NGOEWS-WWF named one of top 5 environmental education programmes in the region by UNESCO and one of top 25 globally.


Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with ABB, a global leader in power and automation technologies, to develop a pilot solar power project at ABB’s premises with a grid-connected rooftop 277kW photovoltaic (PV) system.

The MoU supports the Smart Dubai initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world, and DEWA’s initiatives to connect electricity produced from solar power to its grid.

The MOU was signed by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, and Carlos Poñe, Chief

Executive Officer for ABB in the United Arab Emirates.

According to the MoU, the pilot project will connect to DEWA’s grid through a low-voltage distribution board at ABB, and will be used as a learning tool for the deployment of solar PV rooftop installations in Dubai.

“We are pleased to collaborate

with ABB in this project, which will help in developing renewable-energy resources, and support DEWA’s vision to become a sustainable world-class utility. It also demonstrates how government and private organisations can work together to enhance Dubai’s sustainable development, and establish its position as a global hub for trade, finance, tourism, and green economy,” said Al Tayer.

“ABB is delighted to sign this strategic agreement to install a solar rooftop at its facility in Al Quoz in Dubai. We look forward to working together with DEWA to help to develop the solar industry in the Emirate and for our installation to also be a showcase in the region, proving the benefits of renewable technologies and how they can be integrated seamlessly into the existing electrical grid,” said Poñe.

DEWA signs MoU with ABB to connectpilot solar power project to grid

41c r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w


The reintroduction programme aims to return the oryx over a five-year period to an isolated natural reserve within Chad’s Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achim game reserve.

42

About 500 scimitar-horned oryx, extinct in the wild, will be gradually introduced back

to their habitat in Chad through the efforts of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) in collaboration with the government of Chad.

The reintroduction programme seeks to promote a healthy and sustainable environment for up to 500 Scimitar Horned Oryx over a period of five years, in an isolated natural reserve within the Oadi Rime-Oadi Achim Game Reserve in Chad. Following extensive research, the release area was selected to provide the Scimitar Horned Oryx with the optimal habitat to ensure the prosperity of its population.

The Scimitar Horned Oryx, native to Central and Northern Africa, has

been extinct in the wild for more than 15 years due to unregulated hunting, loss of habitat, and lack of resources. Across the world today, the Scimitar Horned Oryx can only be found in protected reserves, with the UAE being home to over 3,000- the world’s largest single population.

H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, ruler’s representative in the Western Region and Chairman of EAD, said: “The UAE government is strongly committed to wildlife conservation and over the years has been successful in the preservation and protection of different endangered species. With the support of the UAE leadership, EAD and the Government of Chad’s efforts to reintroduce this beloved species into the wild, is realization of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s

legacy in conserving wildlife and protecting the terrestrial and marine biodiversity in the UAE and across the world.”

H.E Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General at EAD, commented: “The Scimitar Horned Oryx reintroduction programme is a reflection of EAD’s long-term commitment to expand its successful reintroduction programmes that have been implemented locally, regionally and internationally. EAD, in close collaboration with the Government of Chad and the Sahara Conservation Fund, seeks to ensure a healthy and sustainable environment for the Scimitar Horned Oryx. This is a pioneering project given that the natural reserve will not rely on fenced and closed spaces. The successful reintroduction programme will

500 scimitar-horned oryx to be introduced to Chad game reserve

Conservationc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

THE SCIMITAR-HORNED oryx, native to central and northern Africa, has been extinct in the wild for more than 15 years due to unregulated hunting, loss of habitat and lack of resources.

ensure this magnificent species has a safe, sustainable environment to roam freely, and ultimately will help remove the Scimitar Horned Oryx from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of extinct in the wild species.”

EAD will take the lead in managing the reintroduction programme and providing technical expertise, while the Government of Chad, represented by the Ministry of Environment and Fisheries, will be managing the reserve and the release area, as well as enforcing the application of the relevant wild life conservation laws. Furthermore, the Sahara Conservation Fund will work on behalf of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, and in cooperation with the Government of Chad, to provide the necessary workforce,

the technical and scientific expertise, in addition to developing the staff capability, monitoring efforts and plan management.

The Smithsonian Institute will evaluate the herd through a satellite monitoring programme to ensure the safety of the herd and track their movement following release. The Zoological Society of London is also involved in the project to conduct environmental studies and assess the release habitat, and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland will be responsible for conducting genetic testing.

EAD has already initiated measures to establish a “world herd” of Scimitar Horned Oryx, which will be released in Chad in partnership with several local and international organisations

to ensure genetic diversity. EAD’s terrestrial biodiversity team have conducted several visits to the reserve in Chad, which extends over an area of 77,950 square kilometres, to assess the release area’s physical space and study the available natural habitat, ensuring the abundance of food and shade, in addition to determining the specific logistics of the translocation from Abu Dhabi to the reserve.

EAD’s veterinary team also conducted genetic testing for around 500 Scimitar Horned Oryx located at EAD’s wildlife management facilities. This herd will be the core of the reintroduction programme in the Republic of Chad. The first year of the reintroduction will see the transfer of 100 animals by plane from Abu Dhabi to the Republic of Chad.

500 scimitar-horned oryx to be introduced to Chad game reserve



Earthrise explores solutions to today’s environmental challenges, taking an upbeat look at ecological, scientific, technological and design projects the world over.

44

Al Jazeera focuses on the people around the world making the planet a better

place, in the return of award-winning environmental and conservation series, earthrise.

The series that premiered on Al Jazeera English on 17 November is unique in highlighting ‘earth heroes’ across the world who are coming up with solutions to environment problems.

According to Giles Trendle, Director of Programmes at Al Jazeera English, “earthrise highlights positive and uplifting environmental stories at a time when global audiences are increasingly aware of the need to take better care of the planet. This is the sixth series of a popular and colourful show that focuses on solutions-oriented journalism. ”

In the premiere episode on 17 November, earthrise reporter Russell Beard joined Kenyan-born ‘local hero’ Martin Wheeler, otherwise known as Birdman, as he channeled his love of birds into his own passion for flying. From his small paramotor (a powered paraglider), Martin works with local rangers to identify poaching threats from the air, relaying locations and information back down to the rangers on the ground. The second story highlighted how a hunting ban on sea otters is helping to improve marine forests known as seagrass beds, in Monterey, California.

In the second episode on 24 November, earthrise looked at one of TIME magazine’s top 25 inventions of 2012, the ‘Aquapod’ and how it is helping develop farm healthier and more eco-friendly fish in Mexico.

Secondly, rangers in South Africa have come across a rather novel solution to protect rhinos from poachers – turn their horns pink. As the number of rhinos killed for their horns escalates to crisis level, conservationists in the Kapama Game Reserve are injecting the horns of rhinos with a mixture of insecticide and indelible dye of the type used by the security industry. The dye not only spoils the highly prized horn for trophy purposes but also makes it detectable by airport scanners and toxic for human consumption.

On 1 December, the series looks at how the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan is being given a boost thanks to two major Indonesian NGOs who have planted hundreds of thousands of trees in degraded areas, and released nearly 200 primates

Environmental heroes in focus as earthrise returns to Al Jazeera

Conservationc r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w

Earthrise reporters meet inspiring individuals and communities leading the way in a field few can afford to ignore.

into the restored area, monitored by remote controlled drones, allowing rangers to locate and check up on the orangutan groups once they’ve been released. Secondly, earthrise looks at the surge in urban mining and visits Umicore in Belgium, one of the world’s most efficient metal recycling plants.

The feature on 8 December showcases the Elwha River in Washington state, USA, site of the worlds’ largest dam removal project where the National Park Service, in partnership with the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe and an army of local volunteers, are restoring the ecosystems and reintroducing salmon back to the wild for the first time in over 100 years.

On 15 December, earthrise features a Bangkok start-up called EnerGaia,

who are pioneering an urban farming model that uses neglected urban spaces to cultivate spirulina, a fast-growing blue-green algae that converts carbon dioxide into nutrients, protein and oxygen.

In contrast to the large, shallow, open-air ponds traditionally used to grow spirulina, EnerGaia’s small closed-system tanks can be installed on whatever land is available, including rooftops in urban centers. Secondly, a marine biologist, a fisherman and a food entrepreneur have launched the UK’s first responsibly sourced commercial fish box scheme, modelled on organic vegetable boxes.

Their aim is to create an alternative market for fresh, local seafood that’s sustainably caught. Finally, earthrise looks at Europe’s first

“nutrient recovery reactor” and how it is reclaiming the phosphorus from human waste and turning it into fertiliser pellets, thereby making money and protecting waterways by recycling valuable minerals.

Finally, on 22 December, earthrise looks at reducing carbon emissions on the Caribbean island of Barbados. The island is a world-leader in solar thermal technology, with over a third of homes fitted with solar water heaters – saving millions of dollars in imported fossil fuel costs and millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. With the help of some pioneering ‘local heroes’ the shift to a greener economy is also beginning to happen in many other areas, including food and tourism. Russell Beard travels to the sunshine nation hoping to lead the way in small-island sustainable development.

Environmental heroes in focus as earthrise returns to Al Jazeera



Abu Dhabi expands ongoing ‘Blue Carbon’ work from Emirate to the national level; efforts will help guide climate change mitigation efforts in the UAE and beyond.


The Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI), supported by the

Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has launched Phase II of its ‘Blue Carbon’ Project, expanding the project to a national level in an effort to link local natural coastal ecosystem management with climate change mitigation.

The commencement of Phase II of the Project will result in a baseline carbon assessment of Blue Carbon ecosystems in the Northern and Eastern regions of the UAE that will help guide local policy with timely, actionable information about the environment.

This Project has evolved from its first phase, the Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project, which was

completed in 2013 which not only enhanced local capacity to better manage Blue Carbon ecosystems, but also has provided exemplary lessons learned for regional and international replication and up-scaling.

Blue Carbon ecosystems in Abu Dhabi Emirate include mangroves, salt marsh, seagrass and potentially algal mats. Coastal sabkha was also explored and is considered an associated Blue Carbon ecosystem storing, albeit not sequestering, carbon. Research on algal mats and coastal sabkha has discovered unexpected results, emphasising the need for cautious action in light of science gaps, and the need to further increase knowledge on Blue Carbon ecosystems.

The study also found that Abu

Launch

Phase II of ‘Blue Carbon’ project launched

Blue Carbon ecosystems

in the emirate of Abu

Dhabi include mangroves,

salt marsh, seagrass and

potentially algal mats.


THE ABU DHABI Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) was formed in 2002 to address responses to the critical need for readily accessible, accurate environmental data and information for all those who need it.

Dhabi Blue Carbon ecosystems and associated biodiversity provide a broad spectrum of services beyond carbon sequestration and storage, including shoreline buffering and erosion control, water quality maintenance, support to fisheries (in particular recreational fishing), tourism and recreation. Cultural values are also recognised as highly important.

“The Blue Carbon ecosystems are an extremely important part and parcel of the cultural identity of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and indeed the UAE. The Blue Carbon project demonstrated the power of data collaboration in the field of the environment, and its use in decision-making, policy making, as well as urban planning. It is extremely critical to understand what and where our natural capital is, and ensure

that not only do we protect it, but that we also capitalise on it,” said H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General, EAD.

The expansion of the project to the North and East of the UAE follows the key stakeholder endorsement of these results as being the first step in overall ecosystem based management in Abu Dhabi. It is hoped that the success of Phase I is replicated at the national level, and a holistic approach to ecosystem management be pursued to the benefit of all.

To date, the impact of the Blue Carbon work has been significant, with the values of Blue Carbon and other related ecosystem services having since been incorporated into the coastal and marine management

policies of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Together with an international team of coastal carbon experts, the Project aims to investigate the vital role our local coastal ecosystems play in climate change. Field work for Phase II was completed in November, with an end-of-project report expected to be completed and available to the public in the first quarter of 2015. Data will also be recorded into a national database dedicated to natural carbon sinks in the UAE.

The Project will help guide other Blue Carbon projects and international efforts, such as the Global Environment Facility’s (GEF) Blue Forests Project, which had its inaugural meeting in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, hosted by AGEDI. The GEF Project helps develop Blue Carbon


science and data management through the production of tools and the testing of methodologies that can be utilised and scaled up to the international arena, and will enhance blue carbon cooperation and training.

“GEF is honoured and pleased with the collaboration with UAE/AGEDI in the global Blue Forests project. Indeed, AGEDI is a crucial partner and is already providing cross support and knowledge management to developing countries that are benefitting from the project, such as Indonesia and Madagascar,” said Nicole Glineur, Project Manager for the GEF Blue Forests Project.

Abu Dhabi’s efforts have already been incorporated into the Eye on Earth Oceans & Blue Carbon Special Initiative, which was established at

the Eye on Earth Summit 2011, and whose global stakeholders were also hosted in Abu Dhabi.

The objective of the initiative is to bridge the gap on the international access of oceans and blue carbon data and information, with a long-term vision of a standardised method of assessing and evaluating coastal ecosystems. The applications will also provide options on how to value and incentivize sustainable coastal conservation.

Similar to Phase I, the National Blue Carbon Project will enhance local capacity to better manage Blue Carbon ecosystems. AGEDI’s close partnership with Zayed University saw students participating in the Abu Dhabi field work in 2012; in an internship placement programme;

and now supporting an expert team on-site once again in Phase II.

Blue Carbon is not a new concept to the UAE. AGEDI’s first exploration of natural climate change mitigation opportunities commenced in 2011 with the completion of the Blue Carbon Feasibility Study of the Arabian Peninsula. The outcomes from this study flagged further opportunities for investigating improved management and mitigating climate change options for Blue Carbon in the Arab region. It is from this study that further developments have been based.

The Project is being managed in collaboration with EAD’ Terrestrial Marine and Biodiversity Sector; the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water; and the relevant authorities of each Emirate. AGEDI has appointed

48 c r e a t i n g g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s f o r a b e t t e r t o m o r r o wLaunch

members of the International Blue Carbon Scientific Working Group, Steve Crook and Boone Kauffman, who are both leading experts in their fields, as principal investigators for the fieldwork and analysis of the results. The results of the national level Project are expected early in the first quarter of 2015.

What is a Blue Carbon Ecosystem? • Coastal vegetation, which includes

mangroves, sea grass, and salt marshes, has been shown to sequester carbon far more effectively (up to 100 times faster) than terrestrial forests – hence the name, ‘Blue Carbon.’ Conserving these ecosystems is one of the most promising new ways to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide and limit global climate change

• Blue Carbon coastal ecosystems include mangrove forests, seagrass meadows and saltwater marshlands, which serve as carbon sinks

• Blue Carbon ecosystems are found throughout the globe, in all continents except for the Antarctic

• While they are vital to the livelihoods and wellbeing of many coastal communities, these ecosystems face many threats and are being lost at an alarming rate of one to two per cent per year – a pace that exceeds the loss of adjacent ecosystems, tropical rainforests and coral reefs. The main causes for the rapid loss of mangrove forests globally include coastal development, population growth, water diversion and aquaculture

• These coastal habitats are an extremely valuable asset to the UAE , providing a wide range of ecosystem services such as protection of shorelines (from storms or erosion); a range of natural products (wood, honey, medicine); ecotourism activities (birding, kayaking, wildlife viewing); support for fisheries including nurseries for juvenile fish; and improvement of water quality through sediment filtering

Blue Carbon ecosystems are

found throughout the globe, in all

continents except for the Antarctic.



The reintroduction programme releases into controlled environment will allow them to adapt to the new habitat before their final release into the wild.


The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), earlier this month, successfully completed the

transfer of a Nubian Ibex herd to Wadi Rum nature reserve, where the herd will remain in a controlled environment that will allow them to adapt to the new habitat before their final release into the wild.

The transfer came following a Memorandum of Understanding signed between EAD and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) earlier in 2014, with respect to HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s Nubian Ibex Reintroduction and Release Programme at the Wadi Rum nature reserve in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The release programme supports the UAE’s efforts in encouraging the

conservation of wild species in their natural habitats.

The MoU was signed by HE Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of EAD, and HE Dr. Kamel Mahadin, Chief Commissioner of ASEZA, and will result in the development and adoption of a long-term strategy aimed at engaging local communities and relevant authorities to minimize the risks that may affect the herd’s sustainability in the Wadi Rum natural reserve.

In the last century, Nubian Ibex has become an endangered species in Jordan. Only a limited number remain in the mountainous areas of the Dead Sea and Wadi Rum due to irresponsible human practices including illegal poaching and the destruction of the species’ natural

habitats. EAD’s terrestrial biodiversity team worked closely with the team at Wadi Rum nature reserve to transfer 100 Nubian Ibex (70 females and 30 males) to a dedicated, protect area. The transfer relied on the participation of Wadi Rum’s local community, who praised EAD’s efforts in protecting and conserving the region’s wildlife and natural heritage.

100 Nubian Ibex released in Wadi Rum in Jordan

Conservation


WADI RUM NATURE reserve was recently added to the list of World Heritage reserves due to its historical and cultural importance that extends to well over 6,000 years BCE.

The signed MoU complements the efforts of His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in protecting the Arabian Peninsula’s culture and natural heritage, with the support of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, represented by HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s Arabian Oryx Reintroduction Project, to release the species in Wadi Rum nature reserve.

HE Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of EAD, commented: “This reintroduction project will ensure that Nubian Ibex will roam free in Wadi Rum nature reserve, their natural habitat. Effective programme management coupled with the support of local communities and authorities will ultimately ensure the sustainability of the species within the reserve.

HE Dr. Kamel Mahadin, Chief Commissioner of Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), highlighted the importance of Wadi Rum nature reserve in protecting the area’s biodiversity.

Wadi Rum nature reserve was recently added to the list of World Heritage reserves due to its historical and cultural importance that extends 6,000 years BCE.

Dr. Mahadin praised the continuous support of the government of Abu Dhabi, represented by EAD, in protecting Wadi Rum’s biodiversity. Dr. Mahadin also commended EAD’s efforts to reintroduce the Nubian Ibex back into the wild, and for the agency’s strong support in ensuring the success of this project.

The project is managed by EAD in

collaboration with the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority represented by the Wadi Rum nature reserve, in addition to the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature. The project will also see the implementation of four set objectives which includes ensuring the herd’s sustainability within its natural habitat, and implementing awareness programmes designed to educate the local community and respective authorities on the importance and impact of the project.


Bee’ah – The Sharjah Environment Company – the Middle East’s leading

and award-winning integrated environmental and waste management company, showcased its latest technologically-innovative recycled construction materials and eco-products during its participation at The Big 5 Exhibition 2014, at Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai.

Bee’ah is committed to promoting the use of environmentally-friendly materials and recycled products throughout the construction industry across the UAE and the Middle East.

According to Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah said: “The Big 5 International Building & Construction Show 2014 provides a unique opportunity to advance our efforts to

transform Sharjah into one of the top environmentally responsible cities in the world. Our involvement also comes within the context of our continuous efforts to spread awareness around eco-friendly issues, explore the latest advances in waste management and recycling, as well as exchange experiences and communicate with valued clients.”

Products showcased at The Big 5 Exhibition include their latest innovation: Rubber Mulch, a sustainable eco-friendly product manufactured 99% from recycled tires, designed as an enhanced replacement to traditional wood mulch, decorative rocks or other indoor and outdoor ground covering materials.

Bee’ah also showcased their pioneering products derived from

recycled tyres including crumb rubber, crumb rubber titles and pavers that are manufactured from recycled crumb rubber, molded rubber products and rubberised asphalt. These can be used in flooring applications such as running tracks, grass-surfaced playing areas, stadium playing areas, miniature golf courses and in artificial turf infill in local schools, parks, athletic facilities, equestrian arenas, indoor and outdoor playgrounds and walkways.

Additional products manufactured from recycled rubber include parking bumpers and car stops, curb stone and sidewalks, recycled rubber tree rings, floor leveling systems and rubberized asphalt. Recycled rubber is also used in landscaping and gardens, interior decorations and even for urban infrastructure.

Recycled construction materials and eco-products showcased at Big 5 Show 2014


53

GreenParking, the only one-stop-shop for parking in the Middle East which promotes green

technologies through its smart and eco-friendly approach, continuously introducing new and innovative ideas to all its new projects, has increased its operations in Dubai to more than 100% over the last two years mostly in airport projects, hotels, and malls etc.

The UAE leaders are currently paving the way to make the UAE and the Gulf region the center of sustainable development.

Dubai has already introduced green building standards and is on the way to become the smart city of the future, as well as Abu Dhabi that is developing the world’s first carbon-neutral city, Masdar, where the International Renewable Energy

Agency HQ is located. GreenParking’s approach will help to realize the UAE’s leaders’ vision.

GreenParking is an eco-friendly parking solution that provides various ingredients working towards reducing the UAE’s ecological footprint. It promotes green technologies through its smart and eco-friendly approach continuously introducing new and innovative ideas like the parkchip system which is not toxic and drastically reduces paper waste. GreenParking has it all, from supply, installation and maintenance up to operations and valet services.

“For the past 18 years we have seen a durable expansion of controlled parking zones, and our aim is to convert as many as possible into green and environmental friendly

spaces,” said Sam Alawiye, GreenParking’s Managing Director.

“GreenParking has expanded its operations to reach more than 30 projects in the UAE. Its expertise is recognized by such prestigious companies as Emaar, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Meraas, Dubai World Trade Centre, JW Marriott Marquis and Sharjah International Airport. GreenParking’s upcoming projects include managing the parking guiding system of Al Bateen Palace in Abu Dhabi –the new presidential reception palace for Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi- and providing the VIP Parking Guidance System, LED Lighting and Parking Counting System forthe RTA headquarters in Dubai,” Alawiye added.

GreenParking expands its operations in the UAEEmirates parking spaces go green as GreenParking promotes green technologies.



Abu Dhabi Education Council and the International Fund for Houbara Conservation sign MoU that aims to develop student scientific research skills and enhance their concept of preserving environment.


Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and the International Fund for Houbara Conservation

(IFHC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to officiate their partnership in the education of Abu Dhabi’s youth. The two government entities have previously co-ordinated efforts to educate youth regarding conservation work of the IFHC.

Signing the MOU will strengthen the existing partnership with the creation of a five year education strategy plan designed to create more interest in ecology, science and genetics.

The agreement will cater to students from all age groups, cultural backgrounds and education, who will also receive a meaningful and authentic cross-curricular learning, while increasing their awareness

of conservation issues and interest in the scientific fields. For the IFHC, which is dedicated to the conservation of the Houbara, education is a central pillar that helps ensure that this vulnerable bird is appreciated and studied among future generations.

The IFHC is providing its youth with information on the Houbara bird for two reasons, to help create awareness among youth regarding its extinction, and to provide information on why it is important for this bird to survive due to its strong UAE cultural and heritage impact, as part of its role in the ancient art of falconry.

Through increased understanding and appreciation of the Houbara, greater understanding of conservation issues will be revealed while creating an environment that will encourage

MoU signed to create more interest in ecology, science and genetics

The five year education

strategy plan is

designed to create

increased understanding

and appreciation of

conservation issues to

encourage the Houbara

and similar species to

survive.

Conservation


DUE TO BEDOUIN falconers hunting the houbara as a source of food in the UAE and other countries in the region, the number of bustards has been in decline.

the Houbara and similar species to survive.

H.E. Dr. Amal Al-Qubaisi, Director General of ADEC said: “This MoU comes in in line with ADEC objectives, which aim to develop student scientific research skills, enhance their concept of preserving environment, encourage recycling and link subjects to their local environment, culture and national identity.” She emphasized: that “Knowledge is a journey of discovery to surroundings, environment and the ability to contribute to its preservation.”

Al-Qubaisi added that “The MoU aims to align curriculum with learning outcomes that inspire Abu Dhabi’s youth and link scientific subjects & IT to local culture and heritage and enrich their knowledge and

expertise in the field of environmental protection.”

Speaking on the signing of the MOU, Director General of IFHC, Mohammed Saleh Al Baidani said, “Education has long been central to the efforts of the IFHC in achieving a sustainable future for Houbara – one of our country’s national emblems. The country’s youth are its future, and only by way of education will they learn the importance of conservation. Thanks to this partnership with ADEC, a sustainable future for Houbara and other species becomes all the more tangible. This is the future we want for the UAE’s children.”

Through this partnership, both ADEC and the IFHC hope to provide meaningful work experience and career development opportunities in

the fields of science. By doing so they hope to create a future workforce that can continue conservation efforts well into the future, seeing the UAE as a global leader in the field.

MoU signed to create more interest in ecology, science and genetics


The project aims to utilise and restore the botanical heritage of the country and help re-acquaint people with the beauty of plants that are natural to arid climates and their habitats.


After the approval of its Board of Directors of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) to

establish the Abu Dhabi Plant Genetic Resources Centre, preparations has begun to set up the centre which aims to document the genetic resources of local bio-diverse plant species, and studying and conserving them by utilising an integrated approach that includes internal and external conservational methods for these species to sustain biodiversity.

The project is the first of its kind in the region aiming to utilise and restore the botanical heritage of the United Arab Emirates and help re-acquaint people with the beauty of plants that are natural to arid climates and their habitats.

EAD is implementing the project in

collaboration with the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), the Ministry of Environment and Water, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), the Environment and Protected Areas Authority - Sharjah (EPPA), the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), and the Department of Municipal Affairs.

HE Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, EAD Secretary General, emphasised the importance of this national project focusing on preserving the plant species across the UAE and the Arabian Peninsula, in positioning the UAE as a global leader in environmental conservation and sustainable development. “It also enhances rehabilitation programmes and supports reintroduction programmes of endangered species,” she noted.

HE Al Mubarak highlighted that the UAE’s flora richness and diversity is considered as one of the key elements of national heritage and identity. However, the environment’s flora resources have become vulnerable with the possibility of degradation and loss due to the increasing population, urban development and desertification. These issues increase the challenges in reducing plant diversity, and protecting and conserving them for future generations.

Al Mubarak also stressed on the importance of the project that is implemented within the UAE University’s experimental farm in Al Ain, in strengthening the partnership between the EAD and the university, and ensuring the participation of students in conducting scientific

Preparations on to set up theAbu Dhabi Plant Genetic Resources Centre

Conservation


THE UAE’S FLORA richness and diversity is considered as one of the key elements of national heritage and identity.

research and receiving university degrees. The project will also help in building Emirati talent specialised in environmental conservation and resources management, as well as implementing scientific research activities using the latest technologies, and reflects the agency and the university’s commitment to working together in utilising the community’s skills to contribute to the country’s development.

Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Executive Director - Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector said: “Recent studies conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Water in collaboration with EAD, estimated the number of plant species scattered across the United Arab Emirates at 755 plant species belonging to 81 different families, with 401 species

belonging to 255 different genus of 62 plant families found in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.”

“Some of these plant species are considered as natural resources for some growing crops in different parts of the world, which increases their importance on a global scale as they constitute an essential plant genetic resource. We need to conserve these native plant species and use them sustainably through the establishment of the “Gene Bank” for plants genetic resources. In the long run, the project will also include direct and indirect economic returns,” Al Dhaheri added.

In addition to the importance of the project in conserving and sustaining the local plants’ genetic resources, the centre represents an indicator to the country’s commitment

towards international conventions and protocols signed (Convention on Biological Diversity, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the Nagoya Protocol), and capacity building of local talent specialised in technical, scientific and administrative aspects for the Plant Genetic Resources banks, and providing them with the opportunity to conduct research or obtain university degrees in various plant genetic resources studies.

EAD is working on implementing the project in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens “Kew” in London, which is providing technical and scientific support and consultations for the project’s design preparation stages, reviewing and evaluating both the seed collections as well as the herbarium of wild plants in EAD.


Al Ain Zoo launched the second Arabian Zoo and Aquarium Association conference, aptly

themed “Conservation and Education in Zoos and Aquariums across the region” on 20th November, 2014.

Over 60 delegates from zoo and aquarium institutions in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan and Palestine, presented their experiences in animal management during the two-day conference. In addition to exploring ideas to develop an organisational committee for the association, and the membership criteria, delegates also discussed the challenges that hinder development projects in the region.

Commenting on the occasion, Mona Al Dhaheri, Chief of Conservation and Education at Al Ain Zoo, said:

“We are proud to be hosting the 2nd Arabian Zoo and Aquarium Association Conference themed “Conservation and Education in Zoos and Aquariums across the region”, which allows us to highlight our recent efforts in nature conservation. This is also an opportunity to develop our relationships with other members of the association and work closely together to preserve biodiversity and educate our communities about wildlife conservation, as well as raise the standards of activities that are offered by zoos and aquariums in the Arab region.”

Attendees got the opportunity to participate in discussions and a series of workshops that explored the role played by zoos and aquariums. Participants also showcased the variety and quality of activities carried

out across the region to transfer knowledge and experiences.

Al Ain Zoo also invited delegates to tour its facilities and explore a number of its new projects, including the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre, which is due to open soon. In addition to being a member of the World Association for Zoo and Aquaria (WAZA), Al Ain Zoo and is actively involved in several internationally coordinated conservation projects, working with other like-minded organizations such as Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, the Species Survival Commission, San Diego Zoo, the Northern Rangelands Trust of Kenya and the Sahara Conservation Fund, to conserve and re-introduce threatened arid land species such as Arabian Oryx and Scimitar-horned Oryx to their natural habitat.

Al Ain Zoo hosts 2nd Annual Arabian Zoo and Aquarium Association Conference


Ronald de Jong, Chief Market Leader at Philips, opened the Philips Innovation Experience

2014 held on 29th October in Dubai where he unveiled the company’s ‘innovation and you’ brand campaign, featuring real stories from the region about how the company’s innovations are improving people’s lives across the Middle East and Turkey.

The Philips Innovation Experience 2014 showcased solutions that will help solve some of the region’s greatest challenges including products to help people live a healthier life, innovations that will make healthcare highly personalized and more widely available to those who need it, and ways in which energy efficient lighting solutions will create more sustainable cities.

“At the Philips Innovation Event, we

not only showcased the ways Philips innovations will enhance lives in the future, we also shared real stories of how we are touching lives in the Middle East and Turkey today.

From delivering advanced healthcare education to clinicians in Beirut, to allowing families in Saudi Arabia and Turkey to eat healthier thanks to the Philips AirFryer and SoupMaker and how the next generation can take positive steps towards energy efficiency in Dubai, these stories demonstrate the steps we take to improve people’s lives in the region,” said Philips Middle East and Turkey CEO, Roy Jakobs.

Understanding that the world needs more light, more energy efficient light and digital light, Philips, is taking light beyond illumination. By connecting LED lighting to sensors, controls, networks,

devices and apps Philips enables its customers to create amazing new lighting experiences and to achieve outstanding business outcomes while saving up to 80% on energy. Philips is taking lighting into a fully digital world in which it connects people, places and devices – and creates safe and sustainable homes and public environments.

Innovative ideas for a positive impact Philips showcases its commitment to creating a better, more sustainable future at the Middle East & Turkey Innovation Experience 2014

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The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Office - Abu Dhabi is the largest presence of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals outside the seat of the secretariat.

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The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), administered by the United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP), and Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) have agreed to extend their arrangement by which an office for the Convention was established in Abu Dhabi in 2009.

H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of EAD and Bradnee Chambers, Executive Secretary of CMS, signed the agreement in Abu Dhabi and Quito, respectively, as part of the Eleventh Meeting of the Convention’s Conference of the Parties (CMS COP11) taking place in Ecuador from 4- 9 November.

The original agreement was signed in October 2009 following an offer by

EAD on behalf of the Government of the United Arab Emirates to host an office of the CMS Secretariat in Abu Dhabi. The Office has been located at EAD Headquarters ever since.

Many migratory species of interest to the UAE are also the focus of the Convention. CMS Office - Abu Dhabi coordinates activities to address common threats to migratory species of national and regional importance including birds, marine mammals and marine turtles.

CMS Office - Abu Dhabi is the largest presence of the CMS Secretariat outside its seat in Bonn. It provides two secretariats which coordinate the implementation of the CMS Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and the

CMS MOU on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia. The two MOUs were adopted in Abu Dhabi in October 2007 and in October 2008. The UAE has signed both international agreements along with 62 other countries and the European Union.

Mr. Chambers said, “The Arabian Gulf hosts one of the world’s largest and most significant populations of dugongs, with the greatest numbers found in the waters off the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

This population is shared with Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. UAE is also part of the range for 42 of the 76 species of African-Eurasian migratory birds of prey under the Raptors MOU, including the endangered Saker Falcon, Sooty

Conservation

International cooperation for Migratory Species of Wild Animals enhanced


CMS OFFICE - Abu Dhabi coordinates two CMS MoUs: on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range and on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia.

Falcon and the Egyptian Vulture.”

H.E. Al Mubarak added, “The two CMS agreements support the conservation activities of Abu Dhabi and the UAE, and provide a platform for the nation to co-operate both regionally and globally with other countries that share these migratory animals as they pass through our marine and terrestrial environments at different times of the year.”

Lyle Glowka, Executive Coordinator of CMS Office - Abu Dhabi, noted that the Office represents a major collaboration between the Convention on Migratory Species, the United Nations Environment Programme, and EAD on behalf of the United Arab Emirates to conserve migratory species for the benefit of present and future generations.

“The Office serves 147 countries across Africa; Europe; Central, Western and Southern Asia; and the Western Pacific regions”, he said, adding, “EAD’s investment has been critical to our mission of promoting international cooperation across the vast range of the migratory animals we work on, and is one of the many ways the UAE has demonstrated its global leadership on migratory species conservation”.

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is the only global biodiversity-related treaty specializing in the conservation and sustainable use of a wide array of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species, their habitats and migration routes. Contracting

Parties to CMS work individually and cooperatively to ensure a favourable conservation status for migratory species across their range. At present, there are 120 Parties to the Convention.



Globally coordinated action and policy interventions required to stem loss of one of the planet’s most threatened ecosystems.


Mangroves are being destroyed at a rate 3 - 5 times greater than the

average rates of forest loss, costing billions in economic damages and denying millions of people the ecosystem services they need to survive, according to a new report launched on September 29, 2014 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The Importance of Mangroves: A Call to Action launched at the 16th Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, describes how emissions resulting from mangrove losses make up nearly one-fifth of global emissions from deforestation, resulting in economic damages of some US$6 - 42 billion annually. Mangroves are also threatened by climate change, which

could result in the loss of a further 10 - 15 per cent of mangroves by 2100.

Found in 123 countries and covering 152,000 square kilometers, over 100 million people around the world live within 10 kilometres of large mangrove forests, benefiting from a variety of goods and services such as fisheries and forest products, clean water and protection against erosion and extreme weather events.

UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said, “Mangroves provide ecosystem services worth around US$33 - 57,000 per hectare per year. Add to that their superior ability to store carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and it becomes clear that their continued destruction makes neither ecological

nor economic sense.”

“Yet, the escalating destruction and degradation of mangroves - driven by land conversion for aquaculture and agriculture, coastal development, and pollution - is occurring at an alarming rate, with over a quarter of the earth’s original mangrove cover now lost. This has potentially devastating effects on biodiversity, food security and the livelihoods of some of the most marginalized coastal communities in developing countries where more than 90 per cent of the world’s mangroves are found.”

“By quantifying in economic terms the value of the ecosystem services provided by mangroves as well as the critical role they play in global climate regulation, the report aims to encourage policymakers to use

Report

‘Destruction of carbon-rich mangroves costs billions in economic damages


MANGROVES PROVIDE ecosystem services worth around US$33 - 57,000 per hectare per year.

the tools and guidelines outlined to better ensure the conservation and sustainable management of mangroves,” he added.

The report argues that in spite of the mounting evidence in support of the multitude of benefits derived from mangroves, they remain one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet.

The report describes financial mechanisms and incentives to stimulate mangrove conservation, such as REDD+, private sector investments, and the creation of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions for developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while increasing national capacity.

Mangrove degradation and loss is

predicted to continue into the future if a business-as-usual scenario prevails.

The Importance of Mangroves: A Call to Action offers readers and especially policymakers many management and protection measures and tools that are available for use at national, regional and global scales to help ensure a sustainable future for mangroves.

Policymakers, it says, should consider several of these, including integrating mangrove-specific goals and targets into the post-2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals agenda, as well as better coordination of global action on mangroves through the development of a Global Mangrove Commission, and the streamlining and coordination of Multilateral Environmental Agreements.

Protecting these long-term reservoirs of carbon, and preventing their emissions from being released back into the atmosphere is, the report says, a sensible and cost-effective measure that can be taken to help mitigate climate change.

Key Findings: Ecosystem ServicesBy 2050, South-East Asia will potentially have lost 35 per cent of the mangrove cover it had in 2000, with associated negative ecological and socio-economic impacts.

Ecosystem service losses in South-East Asia from the destruction of mangroves has been estimated at more than US$2 billion a year over the period 2000 - 2050, with Indonesia predicted to suffer the highest losses at US$ 1.7 billion per year.


Climate Change Regulation and MitigationResearch is increasingly pointing to the role of mangroves as significant carbon storage systems, sequestering vast amounts of carbon - about 1,000 tonnes per hectare - over thousands of years, making them some of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet.

One study carried out in the Potengi Estuary in Brazil on 1,488 hectares of mangroves found that the forest trees and sediments were retaining concentrations of heavy metals that would otherwise cost US$13 million to treat in a zeolite plant.

LivelihoodsA large number of commercially important fish species such as snapper, mullet, wrasse, parrotfish, sharks and rays utilize mangroves

during all or part of their lives, with the mangrove providing critical food, shelter and refuge functions.

It has been estimated that 30 per cent of the fish caught in South-East Asia are supported in some way by mangrove forests; a figure approaching 100 per cent for highly mangrove-dependent species including some species of prawn.

It was estimated that the annual average landing of mangrove-associated fish and blue crab in the Gulf is 10,500 tonnes, with an estimated total value of US$19 million to local fisheries.

Extreme Weather EventsThe complex network of mangrove roots can help reduce wave energy, limit erosion and shield coastal

communities from the destructive forces of tropical storms, cyclones and tsunamis.

The mangrove-lined “hurricane holes” in the Caribbean have been a well-known safe haven for vessels for centuries, and of the 20-odd established hurricane holes recommended for boaters needing to ride out storms in the Antilles, 16 gain such a reputation because of the presence of mangroves.

In Vietnam, extensive planting of mangrove has cost of US$1.1 million but has helped reduce maintenance cost of the sea-dyke by US$7.3 million per year.

Biodiversity HotspotsMangroves form the foundation of a highly productive and biologically

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rich ecosystem that is home to a spectacular range of species of birds, mammals, invertebrates and fish which help to support people through fisheries, tourism and cultural heritage.

The combination of clearance and degradation has meant that globally about 16 per cent of mangrove tree species and some 40 per cent of the animal species dependent on these ecosystems are now considered vulnerable and/or at risk of extinction. The mangroves of Australia are home to over 200 species of birds, and at least 600 different fish species are known to occur in mangroves across the Indo-Pacific region.

RecommendationsPolicymaker guidelines for the improvement, management and protection of mangroves include the

development of protocols to Regional Seas Conventions that promote protection and sustainable use of mangroves, and the implementation and enforcement of national laws and policies relevant to mangrove protection and management. Others include:

Create a Global Mangrove Fund to support “climate resilience” actions that conserve and restore mangroves, and protect the carbon stored within them;

Encourage mangrove conservation and restoration through carbon credit markets such as REDD+, the “Bio-Rights” mechanism and corporate and private sector investments;

Promote economic incentives such as Payments for Ecosystem Services as a source of local income from mangrove protection, sustainable

use and restoration activities and ensure beneficiaries of mangrove services can find opportunities to invest in mangrove management and restoration planning;

Explore opportunities for investment into Net Positive Impact biodiversity offsets by the corporate and business sectors as a way to finance the protection and sustainable use of mangroves;

Ensure that mangroves are addressed in wider Marine Spatial Planning and policy frameworks.

Mangroves are being destroyed at

a rate 3 to 5 times greater than

the average rates of forest loss.



Origins: A movie that moved me!It is worth sharing, please spread the message.

Highlights:Going back to our Origins will probably save both Mankind and Mother Earth.

Sugar, pesticides and hormones are serious poisons in our food.

Pollution is the most destructive factor to our Planet.

Four years in the making, Origins is a stunningly ambitious new documentary that challenges us to reevaluate our existence in the modern world, and embrace the simplicities that defined the beginnings of our species.

“I believe to understand our present and to map our future, we have to go back in time,” says Alan McSmith, an ecology instructor and a key interview subject featured in the film.

Like McSmith, Origins argues that the keys to survival for both the human race and the planet that surrounds us can only be understood by looking back on the origins of our species nearly 200,000 years ago.

From the vast plains of Africa to the microbes that live in our gut, Origins illustrates that the forces that compromise our potential to thrive are only outmatched by our capacity to provoke profound and positive change.

The fundamentals of that change can be gleaned from a simple study of our ancestors. The first humans established the evolutionary building blocks that have proven most meaningful to our continued survival as a species. They nurtured a respectful and harmonious connection to nature, developed an uncanny ability to adapt, and constructed the tools needed to ensure that all of their basic needs were met.

In the face of hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, those basic needs have remained unchanged, yet our modern technologies often imperil the very elements we rely upon to nourish and sustain us. We are more isolated from our natural environment than ever before, and that dynamic has resulted in an unparalleled number of chronic health concerns, a deteriorating planet, and increasingly severe obstacles for our children and grandchildren.

The purity of our existence has been threatened by temporary comforts. Pesticides, hormones and sugars have eradicated much of the nutritional content in the foods we eat, compromising our immune systems and leaving us more vulnerable to disease. Monstrous pollution and toxicity levels represent perhaps the greatest threat to civilization, and their negative effects can be witnessed in forms as varied as the sunscreen we apply to our skin and the air that we breathe into our lungs.

While the challenges facing us might seem insurmountable and complex, the solutions are anything but. Brimming with passionate and persuasive testimony from a distinguished panel of experts in fields ranging from anthropology to medicine, Origins shows us that the power to reverse the tide of destruction is as simple as eating clean foods, rejecting a sedentary lifestyle, and embracing the circle of life in which we all play a part.

These revelations make Origins truly inspiring and essential viewing for all audiences who are anxious to make their own change in the world.

To watch the full documentary, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf4vJKZXxn8

Dr. Eisa M. AbdelllatifChief Technical AdvisorZayed International Foundation for the Environment


Documents

Chairman’s...The 43rd anniversary of the UAE’s National Day was a great occasion to reflect on the past when the Spirit of the Union first took root as separate emirates joined