Youth can make earth greener, says minister
abu dhabi — The only way to sustain the UAE’s global efforts in creating a greener future is by letting the youth take matters into their own hands — they must start making changes to their lives today, a UAE minister has said.
On the sidelines of the ‘Zayed Sustainability Prize Panel’ recently, Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, told Khaleej Times that the youth plays a critical role in achieving sustainability and finding solutions to global environmental woes. The biggest and most threatening challenge today, he said, is pollution.
“We are all connected by air, and if there is any pollution in one place, it is sure to affect other parts of the planet,” the minister said.
He added: “We want the youth to start using public transport more often. They can also contribute in reducing energy consumption by simply switching lights off when they’re not in use. These are basic changes that they can do, and they have to push others to do the same.”
Going green to reduce pollution also means supporting local produce, he said. “We have to go green all the way; thus, we must encourage organic local farming. We don’t want to create more problems by disturbing the ecosystem.”
Dr Al Zeyoudi said: “The most important contribution that we
want from the youth is for them to capitalise on their soft skills and knowledge to come up with solutions,” he said. “They need to look for ideas, which they can bring to the country, the region, and around the world.”
Jury chooses 10 winners
The Zayed Sustainability Prize jury on Sunday selected 10 winners out of the 31 entries vying for the award this year. The winners will be announced at the annual award ceremony on January 14, 2019, during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
Established in 2008 and formerly known as the Zayed Future Energy Prize, the award has recognised companies, schools, non-profit organisations, and inspiring leaders around the world, in honour of the sustainability legacy of the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.