Report highlights regional issues on environment

The GEO-4 Report, published once in five years, analyses environmental change, causes, impacts and policy responses. It also provides useful information to decision-makers and raises awareness about the region’s environmental issues.

The report was unveiled by Mohammed Al Bowardi, Secretary-General of Abu Dhabi Executive Council (ADEC) and Managing Director of EAD, Minister of Environment and Water Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi, and Dr. Habib El-Habr, UNEP’s Director and West Asia Representative.

In his opening speech, Dr El-Habr said: “What GEO-4 does is to present to us the current situation, highlighting examples of where the challenges lie and also demonstrating that there are success stories.”

“More than one billion people in Asia are now exposed to outdoor air pollution above the World Health Organisation levels, linked to premature death of about 500,000 people every year,” he added.

Dr. Al Kindi told Khaleej Times that the UAE has done well so far and it will continue to fight for the protection and conservation of environment. “We will never back out. What we haven’t reached today, we will reach tomorrow,” the minister said.

Dr Waleed Khalil Zubari, Vice Dean at the College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University, made a detailed presentation of the major environmental issues concerning West Asia, including management of water and land resources, climate change and biodiversity.