Late UAE President wins the ‘Champions of the Earth’ Award
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE’s late President, has won new green awards from the UN Environment Programme. The award is meant to inspire wider protection of the planet.
In presenting the awards to a unique group of seven environmental leaders, representing each region of the world, Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), hailed them for their efforts to “fight for, defend and protect the natural riches that we have for too long taken for granted.”
“UNEP is honoured to recognise the achievements of those who have, to a large extent, set the environmental agenda and laid the foundations for the many areas of progress we are able to see and celebrate today,”he noted.
Sheikh Zayed is popularly known as ‘The Man of the Arab Environment’. Under his leadership, development activities have touched all aspects of life in the UAE with agriculture and forestation as the focus of his main concerns.
One of Sheikh Zayed’s most remarkable and enduring achievements is the greening of the region’s deserts. Under his guidance, 100 million trees have been planted in the UAE - all in an effort to stem the encroachment of sand onto agricultural land and urban areas.
Using various irrigation techniques, including the ancient Aflaj (efalf) system and the latest technology in desalination, sewage and farming, today the UAE produces 20% of the world’s date palms and myriad species of plants and flowers now flourish. Animals likewise received attention from Sheikh Zayed. To ensure the protection of his country’s biological diversity, he outlawed hunting more than a quarter of a century ago. He went further by creating, on his own island reserve of Sir Bani Yas, a sanctuary for endangered species, such as the Arabian Oryx and the sand gazelle. Under an agreement with international conventions such as CITES, turtles are also protected as are the rare Arabian Leopard, the ibex and the dugong (manatee). In addition, to ensure the preservation of the country’s flora and fauna, Sheikh Zayed established the Higher Environment Council.
The other winners for the 'Champions of the Earth' award are South African King HE Thabo Mbeki, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk of Bhutan, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for Europe, former Mexican Environment Minister Julia Carabias Lillo, Sheila Watt-Cloutier for North America, and Chinese Environment Minister Zhou Qiang.
Posted by Editor Offshore Arabia Magazine
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