The UAE is a pioneer in confronting environmental degradation and turning it into growth opportunities

The Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al-Dahhak, confirmed that the UAE is one of the leading countries in the world in efforts to enhance flexibility and resilience to confront environmental degradation and climate change, and is actively seeking to transform these challenges into opportunities for growth, innovation and prosperity for future generations.

On the occasion of the celebration of World Environment Day, which begins this year under the slogan “Climate Action Today,” she said: “As the world unites today to celebrate World Environment Day, we renew our commitment to working for a better future for our planet. Climate change remains the most prominent challenge of our time. However, history has repeatedly proven that humanity, when united around a common goal, has an exceptional ability to overcome the most difficult challenges. The UAE clearly embodies this fact. In a region characterized by its dry nature, we did not accept that scarcity Resources are inevitably limited. Rather, we have worked to enhance flexibility and resilience, confront environmental degradation, and have made unremitting efforts to transform the most complex environmental challenges into real opportunities for growth and innovation.”

She added: “Our vision is rooted in our identity and heritage. Today, we invoke the environmental vision of the late founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, to make it a living reality. Our plans to protect and enhance biodiversity are turning into tangible achievements. We have already succeeded in planting 50 million mangrove trees, which are natural carbon reservoirs, and we are moving steadily towards achieving our goal of planting 100 million mangrove trees by the year 2030″.

She continued: “Our efforts are guided by achieving the global ambition to limit the rise in global temperature by 1.5 degrees Celsius. In this context, we are working to develop solutions to reduce emissions and expand renewable energy solutions and the field of clean energy such as hydrogen technologies to support the industries of the future, in parallel with establishing a strong model of the circular economy that ensures the reuse and renewal of resources and the reduction of waste to the lowest possible level.”

Amna Al-Dahhak said: “Today, we are redrawing the features of our relationship with food and land, as our local agricultural sector is witnessing unprecedented transformation and momentum, while we have mobilized the efforts of various stakeholders to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices based on reducing waste, to flourish in the heart of desert environments. We are fully convinced that international cooperation is not just a path forward, but rather the only inevitable path to enhancing global food security.”

She added: “As we continue today to support efforts to protect our planet and ecosystems, we are fully aware that the issue of water requires our urgent collective attention. In this sense, the UAE will host the international community next December to advance transformative action on this vital resource. By co-hosting the United Nations Water Conference in cooperation with the Republic of Senegal, we will lead a united global movement to promote the conservation of water resources, consolidate water security, and develop sustainable water management.”

She concluded: “On World Environment Day, we look to the future with eyes full of hope. On this occasion, I call on everyone to continue cooperation in order to protect our planet and preserve its resources for current and future generations.”