Expo 2020 Dubai: Tree-planting session held at world fair to mark National Environment Day

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) teamed up with Expo 2020 Dubai for a tree-planting session on Saturday to celebrate the 25th National Environment Day.

Themed The UAE’s Message to the World – Climate Action Now, the event included planting seedlings of native tree species like ghaf, sidr, and acacia at the Expo 2020 Dubai Plant Nursery.

The activity aimed to highlight the importance of expanding the green cover to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere as part of climate action.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: "As we celebrate our 25th National Environment Day under the theme ‘Climate Action Now’, we send out a powerful message to the world that collective action is the optimal means of addressing all challenges that come our way in a bid to protect our environment and build a better future."

She added: "With our initiative, we follow in the steps of our founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in highlighting the importance of preserving our environment for the next generations. Bringing the world together to plant seedlings, we underscore the role of tree planting as one of the simplest and most effective ways of tackling climate change."

For her part, Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, and Chairwoman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, said: "Today, we are not just planting little seedlings. These seedlings are a shoutout to the world that faces pressing climatic challenges, and an opportunity to collaborate with Expo participants and visitors to contribute to developing innovative solutions to these challenges."

ALSO READ:

• Expo 2020 Dubai: Environmental issues take centre stage at several pavilions

• Singapore's Expo 2020 pavilion to highlight country's sustainability, resilience

She added: "The UAE Government has made sustainability an objective of its national strategy, and aims to highlight it as part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s activities. Through connecting minds and creating the future as well as sharing environmental best practices, the global platform integrates sustainability in educating the UAE community to alter prevailing lifestyle habits. These seedlings are, in fact, the seeds of a new era where the young generation actively participates in addressing major global challenges that require all hands on deck."

Under the patronage of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE marked the 25th National Environment Day on February 4.

The occasion’s activities will continue for four months until World Environment Day on June 5, highlighting the country’s climate action and raising public awareness about the impacts of climate change and the nation’s future initiatives and plans to tackle this major threat to sustainable development on a local as well as global level.

• Dubai