UAE Climate Minister Highlights Urgent Threats to Ocean Health
On World Oceans Day, Dr. Amna Al Dahak emphasizes the need for sustainable practices to safeguard marine ecosystems.
In a statement made on World Oceans Day, June 8, 2023, Dr. Amna Al Dahak, the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, articulated the serious risks facing the health of the world's oceans.
The UAE government remains committed to enhancing the sustainability of marine ecosystems, recognizing the oceans as indispensable resources both nationally and globally.
Dr. Al Dahak noted that oceans cover over 70% of the Earth's surface and are vital for human life, climate regulation, sustenance, and biodiversity.
Dr. Al Dahak highlighted the unprecedented challenges confronting the oceans, including the effects of climate change, such as coral bleaching and rising sea levels, alongside unsustainable fishing practices that threaten marine health.
Current statistics from the United Nations indicate that 90% of big fish populations are depleted and that 50% of coral reefs have been destroyed, underscoring the urgent need for action.
Prominent oceanographer Sylvia Earle has previously voiced concerns regarding the precarious state of ocean ecosystems, calling attention to the thresholds that, if crossed, could lead to irreversible damage.
Dr. Al Dahak stated the UAE's deep connection to marine environments has fueled its commitment to addressing these pressing issues and developing solutions aimed at restoring ocean health.
The United Nations estimates that by 2030, approximately 40 million people will be employed by ocean-based industries, emphasizing the economic significance of oceans.
Additionally, oceans are responsible for generating at least 50% of the planet's oxygen and absorbing roughly 30% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, thereby mitigating the repercussions of climate change.
Dr. Al Dahak cited ongoing initiatives within the UAE, such as successful mangrove preservation and a coral rehabilitation project targeting the outplanting of more than four million coral colonies in its waters by 2030. The UAE is also working towards a goal of planting 100 million mangroves by 2030.
The UAE's commitment to ocean sustainability extends beyond its territorial waters, as it became the first country in the Middle East to join the 100 Per Cent Alliance, initiated by the UN's High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, advocating for the sustainable management of ocean areas under national jurisdictions.
The UAE government remains committed to enhancing the sustainability of marine ecosystems, recognizing the oceans as indispensable resources both nationally and globally.
Dr. Al Dahak noted that oceans cover over 70% of the Earth's surface and are vital for human life, climate regulation, sustenance, and biodiversity.
Dr. Al Dahak highlighted the unprecedented challenges confronting the oceans, including the effects of climate change, such as coral bleaching and rising sea levels, alongside unsustainable fishing practices that threaten marine health.
Current statistics from the United Nations indicate that 90% of big fish populations are depleted and that 50% of coral reefs have been destroyed, underscoring the urgent need for action.
Prominent oceanographer Sylvia Earle has previously voiced concerns regarding the precarious state of ocean ecosystems, calling attention to the thresholds that, if crossed, could lead to irreversible damage.
Dr. Al Dahak stated the UAE's deep connection to marine environments has fueled its commitment to addressing these pressing issues and developing solutions aimed at restoring ocean health.
The United Nations estimates that by 2030, approximately 40 million people will be employed by ocean-based industries, emphasizing the economic significance of oceans.
Additionally, oceans are responsible for generating at least 50% of the planet's oxygen and absorbing roughly 30% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, thereby mitigating the repercussions of climate change.
Dr. Al Dahak cited ongoing initiatives within the UAE, such as successful mangrove preservation and a coral rehabilitation project targeting the outplanting of more than four million coral colonies in its waters by 2030. The UAE is also working towards a goal of planting 100 million mangroves by 2030.
The UAE's commitment to ocean sustainability extends beyond its territorial waters, as it became the first country in the Middle East to join the 100 Per Cent Alliance, initiated by the UN's High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, advocating for the sustainable management of ocean areas under national jurisdictions.
