UAE marks International Day for Biological Diversity

Dubai, May 22 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) joined the world in celebrating World Biodiversity Day on Tuesday.

It is observed annually on May 22. This year's celebration was being held under the theme "Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity" to mark the 25th anniversary of the entry into the force of the Convention on Biological Diversity, ratified by the UAE in 1992 and acceded to in 2000.

Speaking on the occasion, Hiba Al Shehhi, Acting Director of Biodiversity Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, said that biodiversity was a key ingredient in environment conservation policies in the UAE.

Al Shehhi explained that the UAE Vision 2021 underscored the importance of the conservation of the rich natural environment of the homeland from the risks of human activities through preventive measures like reducing carbon emissions and through regulatory measures that protect the fragile ecosystems from urban expansion.

She added that the UAE's leading standing in wildlife conservation was further cemented by the National Programme for the Sustainability of Wildlife, an initiative of the Government Innovation Laboratory.

The programme aimed to ensure the sustainability of the rich local biodiversity through an array of integrated legislations, policies, research and initiatives that protect indigenous species, regulate the trade in flora and fauna and identify invasive species and mechanisms to eradicate and control them.

--IANS/WAM

soni/vm