UAE's Ecological Footprint Initiative highlighted

Abu Dhabi, Feb 28, 2013 (WAM) - Minister of Environment and Water, Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, highlighted the efforts of the UAE to reduce the ecological footprint and preserve the environment at a high-level roundtable entitled "Green Economy: the Path to Reduce Ecological Footprint in Arab Countries" organized in Nairobi, Kenya, by the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED). As a keynote speaker at a session which was held as part of the UN environment programme (UNEP) Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum, the minister underscored the UAE's serious and innovative approach towards understanding and managing its Ecological Footprint through its initiative which since 2007, the has helped UAE government institutions and civil society build capacity and foster in-country knowledge and expertise. The UAE's Ecological Footprint Initiative, he noted, has done this through collaboration between the public and private sectors, the undertaking of cutting-edge research, the development of innovative policies, and action in support of reducing the country's Ecological Footprint and helping to tackle related issues such as climate change. As a result, some of the world's most advanced Ecological Footprint research has been undertaken in the UAE, and innovative awareness-raising projects have been launched with support from the highest levels of government, he noted. The Initiative has also developed an innovative electricity and water scenario model for the UAE. Researchers from the Masdar Institute (MI) and EWS-WWF have led the development of this model, which aims to help policy-makers understand how the development of the power and water sector might affect the UAE's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and Ecological Footprint up to 2030, and to develop alternative lower- Footprint scenarios. The minister also highlighted the UAE's long term national initiative to build green economy in the UAE under the slogan: "A green economy for sustainable development ", which was launched last year by Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. - Emirates News Agency, WAM