The UAE is to celebrate
the World Day to Combat Desertification with the countries of the world, which
is marked on the 17th of June each year, and this year’s subject is:
Land Belongs to the Future - Let’s Climate Proof It. The UAE announced the
completion of the project to update the National Strategy to Combat
Desertification 2014-2021, which was implemented by the Ministry of Environment
and Water. His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment
and Water, said that updating the national strategy to combat desertification
was particularly in line with the UAE Vision 2021, which emphasized the
importance of protecting the natural environment from the risks of human
activities locally and globally, through preventive measures, such as reducing
carbon emissions, and imposing regulatory measures to protect the fragile
ecosystem from civil expansion, and a commitment to the United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification and the strategic objectives of the 10-year
Strategy (2008-2018) of the Convention.
Among the
contributions of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and
its efforts to increase the green areas in the state, a series of activities
and events for the Afforestation Week was organized last February through sending
awareness e-mails for the staff and Cultural Attachés abroad to inform them
about the event and its most highlighted activities, which gave way to a number
of officials and employees of the Ministry to participate in the cultivation of
seedlings, as afforestation reduces drought and global warming, reduces
desertification, increases green areas, reduces pollution, brings the rain in the
proper time, and reduces soil erosion, in
addition to many other advantages that benefit the environment and society in
the State.
In the field of
afforestation and combating desertification, the State worked on soil
stabilization and dissemination of a green agricultural area to combat
desertification and stop the sand migration, so it planted many forest trees
over vast areas, and work is underway to increase these spaces, as the state
has unprecedented achievements in the agriculture sector despite the harsh nature
of the desert, difficult climatic conditions, and lack of water sources and
rain, and these achievements represent a cultural boom, achieved by the grace
of Allah the Almighty, and the insightful vision, determination and guidance,
and constant follow up of the wise leadership, which believes that agriculture
and civilization are two sides of the same coin.
The total number of
dams and barriers in the state reached 130 dams and barriers, whose design capacity
is estimated at 120 million cubic meters, these dams have contributed to the
promotion and development of water resources, and the prevention of the risk of
floods.
17/06/2014
