The UAE recently participated in the ‘Meetings of the Conferences of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity of UNEP and its Protocols,’ which was held from September 29, 2014 to October 17, 2014 in Pyeongchang, Korea. The UAE was represented by Ahmed Al Hashmi, Director of Biodiversity, Ministry of Environment and Water and Khalfan Al Suwaidi, a representative from the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi. The two UAE senior officials participated in the high-level meetings and took part in the discussions concerning biodiversity for sustainable development. The Korean leg of the meetings was attended by more than 190 country members of the parties of the convention.
The meetings covered important topics such as reviewing the progress made towards achieving objectives of the strategic plan for biodiversity 2011-2020, Aichi biodiversity targets, sustainable development, marine & coastal biodiversity, invasive alien species, climate change and the conservation & restoration of ecosystems.
During the meeting, the representatives shed the light on the UAE’s achievements in the field of biodiversity and its role in supporting UAE Vision 2021. The UAE representatives stressed on the importance of preserving the rich natural environment of the UAE through regulatory measures that aim to protect fragile ecosystems from urban expansion and the strategic plan for biodiversity 2011-2020, in addition to its commitment to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Meanwhile, the ‘Seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety’ also discussed key topics like handling, transporting, packaging and identifying of living modified organisms; cross-border inadvertent transport and emergency measures; as well as the evaluation and management of the potential risks of genetically modified organisms. Moreover, the UAE delegates called for the holding of a regional action workshop that looks towards strengthening the implementation of the protocol in November this year. In addition, the ‘First meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing’ touched on important issues like compliance with the set protocols and traditional knowledge.
Ahmed Al Hashmi said that the UAE has placed top priority in the move to protect the environment and the integration of biodiversity across various relevant segments like economy, education and health. He added that the UAE has expressed its full support towards biodiversity by hosting international and regional conferences—citing the coming ‘Eye on Earth Network Summit’ to be held in Abu Dhabi in 2015. He also pointed out that the UAE government believes that the availability of accurate environmental information and cooperation towards collecting data is one of the key steps towards achieving sustainable development.
During the biodiversity and climate change session, the UAE delegation presented the UAE achievements, including the ‘Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative’ and its study of blue carbon in the UAE, which is aimed at promoting understanding about the storage and capture of carbon and other services provided by coastal ecosystems in the UAE. The initiative provides many options to integrate these values in politics and administration--leading to sustainable use of these ecosystems and their services and maintaining them for future generations.
The UAE joined the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2000 and later became part of the three protocols emanating from the convention held in September-- the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; the Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress and the Nagoya Protocol. The UAE has made many achievements that have contributed in maintaining its biological diversity, which has strengthened its position on an international level.