Emirates Green Development Council forms national committee to follow up implementation mechanism for green development strategy

June 14, 2015 - H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, headed the first meeting of the Emirates Green Development Council which was formed in accordance with Ministerial Resolution No. (319) for the year 2015 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai. The meeting was held in line with the UAE’s accelerated efforts to apply the ‘green economy’ approach through a green national development strategy. It also reflects the Emirates’ commitment to mobilizing national efforts to search for innovative solutions to sustainable development in line with UAE Vision 2021.

The minister explained that  today’s meeting is intended to complete the transition towards the green economy approach which began in cooperation with all governmental authorities and national stakeholders with the launching of the "UAE Green Development Strategy" in 2012.

Bin Fahad added that the Emirates Green Development Council was formed based on the strategic direction for adopting the green economy which includes the transformation of the national economy into a low-carbon economy among its mandates. He pointed out that the formation of the Council creates a national umbrella for accelerating efforts towards ‘greening’ the domestic economic sectors.

During the meeting, the attendees evaluated the implementation mechanism of the Emirates Green Development strategy in accordance with the green agenda of the UAE recently launched
as a framework for unified action towards implementing the strategy. They also discussed the proposals of the Emirates Green Development Council as well as the status of the Council’s performance. The group was briefed on the current situation and the target for indicators measuring the extent of the shift to green development.

The Council members from various federal agencies and representatives of local authorities include H.E. Matar Hamed Al Neyadi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Energy; H.E. Eng. Zahra Salman Alaboodi ,Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Works; Saeed Rashid Al Yateem, Assistant Undersecretary of Resources and Budget  of the Ministry of Finance,  H.E. Abdullah Sultan Al Fan Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial affairs the Ministry of Economy;  H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak; and H.E. Ahmed Butti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Energy.

Other members are H.E. Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, General Manager of Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah; H.E. Saif Al Matrooshi, Secretary General of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Ajman; H.E. Eng. Mohammed Saif Al Afkham, Director General of the Fujairah Municipality; Dr. Saif Al Ghais, Executive Director Environment Protection and Development Authority in Ras Al Khaimah; H.E. Dr.  Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Director of Energy and Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and a representative of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain.

The "UAE Green agenda" was launched in January 2015 to provide a framework for unified action towards implementing the Emirates Green Development strategy. The "first national report on the country's State of Green Economy" was also released to provide a clear and comprehensive picture of the progress made towards a green economy in accordance with the Emirates Green Development strategy.

Last May, the Ministry of Environment and Water also organized the 6th Green Economy Annual Conference under the theme 'National Roundtable on Financing and Investing in Green Economy Projects' in cooperation with investment global funding of the UNEP FI. This was done as part of preparations for the UAE’s hosting of the round table on "Islamic finance in the context of the green economy and sustainable development" to be conducted in 2016 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).