The Member States of
the United Nations celebrate the "International Day for Preventing the
Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict" on Thursday,
November 6th, 2014, in order to emphasize the high importance of
protecting the environment in times of armed conflict, restoration of wise
governance of natural resources during the reconstruction phase after the end
of the conflict, the important role of natural resources in supporting
livelihood, the ability to withstand the shocks for all members of the society,
especially women, and the effects of sustainable management of natural
resources with regard to conflict prevention and peace consolidation. The
United Nations considers the environment a victim of undeclared wars, during
which water wells are contaminated, crops are burned, forests are cut, the soil
is poisoned, and animals are killed, in order to achieve military gains.
The United Nations
Environment Program found that at least 40% of the conflicts in the past sixty years
were linked to the exploitation of natural resources, whether the resources
were of high value, such as timber, diamonds, gold, and oil, or scarce resources,
such as fertile land and water. It was also found that the chances of flared-up
conflicts are multiplied if they are linked to natural resources.
The United Nations
attaches great importance to ensuring that action on the environment is part of
the strategies for conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and peace building,
because there can be no lasting peace if the natural resources that sustain
livelihoods and ecosystems are destroyed.
In the UAE, environmental
issues, climate change, and the preservation of ecosystems receive growing
interest at all levels, where His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
Ruler's Representative in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, Chairman of the
Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, approved on Tuesday, November 4th,
2014, the Environment Agency’s plan to establish the Plant Genetic Resources
Centre in Abu Dhabi, , which aims to document the genetic resources of local
plants and their diversity, and study the important plant species and how to
save them through the use of an integrated approach that includes internal and
external conservation ways for these kinds of plants, in order to maintain
biodiversity.
This project is
expected to contribute to strengthening the country's position on the global
level in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development, as
well as enhancing vegetation and reclamation of the natural environment for the
rehabilitation of habitats programs, and supporting the programs of resettlement
of endangered species, where the UAE ranked first globally in 2014 in the Marine
Protected Areas Index, 15th in the Biodiversity Index as compared to
23rd in 2012, and 25th in the overall index of
environmental performance, thus advancing 52 ranks at once from 2012.
The Agency works
through its institutional strategy 2011-2015 to build a strong institution
characterized by its unique ability in environmental risk management in the UAE,
and seeks to enhance opportunities for innovation and research in the
conservation of natural resources, and the Board of Directors directed to the
need to intensify the Agency's efforts in the coming years to increase
investment in funding programs to improve the fish stock level so as to stop
the deterioration of the fishery. The Agency has also taken several steps in
cooperation with Chad for the implementation of the first project of its kind
in the world in terms of size and type, to resettle a herd of African Scimitar
Horned Oryx in their natural habitat in Chad. The board adopted the Agency’s
plan to establish Delija Wildlife Protection Centre in Abu Dhabi, which is a
unique center of its kind in terms of design and size, and the Agency seeks
through it to provide facilities for the protection and propagation of
endangered wild animals to ensure their sustainability.
The Ministry of
Higher Education and Scientific Research in the State seeks to adopt
disciplines and academic programs related to science and environmental engineering
with its different branches, in order to prepare cadres and supply the sectors
of the State, including the Agency, in order to be able to accomplish their
required tasks, keep abreast of developments, and achieve the desired goals.
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