UAE, Indonesia partner to reduce waste leakage into oceans
ABU DHABI: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment of the Republic of Indonesia, to support the country in reducing plastic waste leakage into the oceans.
The formal signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of The AVPN Global Conference 2024 in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Dr. Amna Bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, and Suhail Bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.
The MOU was signed by Mohammed Saeed Sultan Al Nuaimi, Under-secretary of MOCCAE, and Nani Hendiarti, Deputy Coordinating Minister for Forestry and Environmental Management, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment of the Republic of Indonesia.
The MOU builds on collaborative work between the two countries to deploy nature-based solutions to combat climate change challenges, including the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) and the MBZ-JKW International Mangrove Research Center. This agreement will set a framework for cooperation between the UAE and Indonesia to address the urgent environmental challenge of plastic waste leakage into the oceans around Indonesia.
During the event, Clean Rivers - a global non-profit based in Abu Dhabi, dedicated to addressing the challenge of river plastic pollution - was launched. It will serve as an official implementing partner of the MOU.
Al Nuaimi said, “I am proud of the collaborative spirit the UAE and Indonesia show in overcoming this huge challenge. Our two great countries have already made fantastic progress in deploying nature-based solutions to combat climate change. Our work together on the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) and the MBZ-JKW International Mangrove Research Center gives me great hope that this cooperation will be another of our success stories. The importance of this cooperation stems from the establishment of a joint commitment to the conservation of vital marine ecosystems between the two countries”.
He stressed that plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats and environmental pollutants and spreads in the oceans, rivers and environment, which has an adverse impact on people’s lives, pointing out that cooperation between the UAE and Indonesia opens the door for more efforts to preserve the environment and nature.
Al Nuaimi expressed his support for the launch of the Clean Rivers, which will play an important role in supporting global efforts in the plastic waste leakage into rivers and oceans in Indonesia and around the world.
Welcoming the MOU signing and launch of Clean Rivers, Buti Almheiri, Clean Rivers Board Member, said, “I am proud to announce the official launch of Clean Rivers and the MOU signed today embodies our commitment to reducing plastic waste and achieving cleaner oceans.”