UAE to discuss ways to preserve wetlands
dubai — To raise global awareness on the role of wetlands in preserving habitat, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment will host a conference to gather global leaders towards national action.
The 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP13) will take place in Dubai Festival City from October 21 to 29. It will examine best practices for wetland management and discuss solutions to ongoing and emerging environmental issues.
Under the theme Wetlands for a
Sustainable Urban Future, the conference will also track the status and trends of wetlands and suggest ways to preserve them.
Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said wetlands have an incredibly rich biodiversity and are home to endangered and vulnerable species like the Arabian tahr and the greater Flamingo.
“Managing and preserving our wetlands is an important part of the country’s climate change mitigation efforts as they are capable of storing significantly more carbon than terrestrial ecosystems,” said Al Zeyoudi.
Studies show a sharp decline of wetlands and biodiversity as reports indicate the world has lost 64 per cent of its wetlands since the beginning of last century. “This urges us to take a unified stance against wetland loss and degradation to help preserve the remaining 36 per cent,” said Al Zeyoudi.
The UAE currently houses seven protected areas that account for nearly 35,000 hectares, which have been designated as wetlands of international importance. Three new sites have been submitted to be under the category.
The UAE joined 168 countries in ratifying the Ramsar Convention 11 years ago to preserve its wetlands and ensure sustainable use.
The meeting, which will bring over 1,000 delegates together, is expected to lead to tangible on-theground impact as governments find their way into legislation, regulation and operating practices across the globe.
Al Zeyoudi said Dubai’s hosting of the meeting this year highlights its efforts in conserving natural habitat and leading the way to global efforts forward.
During the announcement, Martha Rojas Urrego, secretary-general of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, said the continued decline of wetlands threatens the wellbeing of billions around the world and
Preserving our wetlands is an important part of country’s climate change mitigation efforts as they are capable of storing more carbon than terrestrial ecosystems.” Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change, Environment
Wetlands are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth as about 40 per cent of the world’s species live and breed in wetlands.” Martha Rojas Urrego, secretary-general of Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
will undermine national efforts to achieve water security and global efforts for climate stability.
“Wetlands are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth as about 40 per cent of the world’s species live and breed in wetlands,” she said.
Almost all of the world’s consumption of freshwater is drawn either directly or indirectly from wetlands. Peatlands in particular cover only three per cent of land surface area but store at least twice more carbon than all the world’s forests, while mangroves and coral reefs protect coastal towns from disasters during storm surges, hurricanes and tsunamis.
Urrego added that wetlands are essential to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and they are a natural solution for climate action. She called for a global cooperation to integrate wetland conservation and wise use in sustainable development plans to conserve and restore wetlands.
She highlighted that the loss of wetlands goes back to their misuse for urban requirements or wastelands. The urgent need for a global response, she said, is the reason more than 1,000 delegates will assemble in Dubai to participate in the conference.
The Convention is a platform from which to catalyse global actions that promote conservation and wise use of all wetlands.
Today, the convention has a membership of 170 countries, known as Contracting Parties and has over 2,300 protected sites on the list of Wetlands of International Importance.
To help lead the dialogue before the meeting, Urrego said Ramsar Convention will publish the Global Wetland Outlook: State of the World’s Wetlands and their Services to provide the latest status and trends of the world’s wetlands, list the key activities driving wetland loss and make recommendations of urgent actions for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
“We hope the report will help focus discussions and encourage actions that will accelerate scale and ambition for wetland conservation and wise use around the globe,” said Urrego.
Meanwhile, Al Zeyoudi urged the community to collaborate with the government in preserving wetlands. He said the ministry is working closely with the public to raise awareness and education about UAE’s nature reserves and environment.