Today's Edition
LAMIA AL HARMOUDI (SHARJAH)
The Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), in line with federal and local development plans, plays an instrumental role in leading efforts to protect the environment, wildlife and biodiversity in Sharjah. This contributes to cementing the emirate’s status as an environmentally friendly city, in addition to translating the directives of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
In remarks to Aletihad, Chairperson of the EPAA, Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, said that authority adopts many significant projects and initiatives to combat pollution and limit all forms of environmental deterioration.
The EPAA also ensures establishing and activating local and international partnerships and cooperation agreements to optimise the use of resources and protect all living creatures.
Al Suwaidi also highlighted the EPAA’s scientific research efforts, and its enactment of legislations and strategies governing environmental work, in addition to successfully breeding rare and endangered animal species, particularly within the 15 natural reserves in the emirate.
She added that the authority holds major conferences and seminars to discuss environmental and sustainability causes, including in particular the Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabian Biodiversity, which annually hosts an elite group of experts and speakers to discuss a number of key environmental topics.
Al Suwaidi further noted that the EPAA implements promotional and educational campaigns to raise environmental awareness and encourage volunteerism. This includes distributing eco-friendly plastic bags, launching campaigns to preserve and clean terrestrial and marine areas as well as afforestation and reforestation campaigns, including planting over one million Sidr, Samar, and Ghaf trees, as well as mangrove seedlings, known in the UAE as Qurm.
The Chairperson of the EPAA in Sharjah stressed that the authority has rich contributions in fostering the culture of environmental tourism through the Sharjah Safari project, the Arabia’s Wildlife Centre, the Natural History Museum, the Children’s Farm, the Islamic Botanical Garden, the Buhais Geology Park, Al Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre, and the Khor Kalba Mangrove Centre, along with other care centres, shelters, and projects concerned with endangered animals, which have established a pioneering position in the Gulf region.
The authority recently participated in the 2023 Conference of the Parties (COP28), hosted by the UAE. This participation comes as part of its continued efforts to support national events linked to sustainability and climate action.
These include resettling perennial trees in natural environments, as the authority succeeded in planting over one million Ghaf, Sidr, and Samar trees, which contributes to reducing CO2 emissions. Moreover, the EPAA implemented the Sir Bu Nair reserve initiative, by which one million coral reefs were cultivated in the area, and it’s currently implementing projects in Al Hamriyah area and Kalba city in Sharjah.
