Unified GCC Environment Law mooted for protection, conservation

A unified environmental law for the GCC, incorporating various laws followed by the member countries, was recommended at the 21st meeting of the Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs at the GCC Council on Wednesday.

The Sultanate hosted the meeting which witnessed a number of decisions being taken towards enhancing various regional initiatives for protection and preservation of the environmental equilibrium to support a healthy and productive generation.

The unified environmental law will also see a common framework for the member countries which will be presented at the next meeting.

The approval of the strategic plan of the ‘Committee of Ministers’ responsible for environmental affairs for the years (2020-2024) and approval of the operational plans of the strategy topped the major decisions.

“The operational committees should commence their work to implement the said plans, and each committee sets the detailed terms of reference for the committee at its first meeting, and submits an annual report to the committee of agents,” an official at Oman’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs told the Observer at the venue.

According to Oman News Agency, the GCC ministers adopted several decisions that included the approval of the strategic plan of the Committee of Ministers Responsible for the Environment Affairs for the years (2020-2024), as well as the approval of the operational plans for the strategy of the Committee of Ministers Responsible for Environment Affairs for the years (2020-2024). The operational committees commence their work to implement the plan.

The ministers also decided that each committee would set the detailed terms of reference for the committee at its first meeting and submit an annual report to the undersecretaries’ committee.

The Kingdom of Bahrain will prepare a vision for the unification of chemical lists and the proposal on the integration of the GCC states in the treatment of wastes and submit the same to the GCC Secretarial General, so as to circulate the same to all member states for further opinions and suggestions before including the vision and the proposal within the strategy’s executive plan.

A coordination will be maintained between the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in the UAE and the GCC Secretarial General to conduct Artificial Intelligence workshops in environmental fields. Launching the second phase of the GCC Environment Portal during in March 2020 was also approved during the meeting.

Work continues on the preparation of the GCC Unified Environmental Law, taking into consideration the national laws of the member states. Work also being in preparation of a general framework for the Unified Environmental Law and presenting it at the next meeting.

The 2019 Wildlife Day theme “Towards Sustainable Ecotourism” and the 2020 theme “Man and Wildlife: Partners of One Environment” were also selected. Coordination will be maintained with the GCC Emergency Management Centre to conduct a regional drill to combat oil spills in the marine environment and assess the level of preparedness for emergencies in the event of spills, with the participation of oil companies in the GCC states.