June 03, 2015 - The Ministry of Environment and Water represented the UAE in the 35th GCC Undersecretaries for Environmental Affairs’ Meeting held recently in Doha, Qatar. The delegation was headed by H.E. Abdul Rahim Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs, and included representatives from the Ministry and local authorities.

The meeting discussed several topics concerning joint work with the aim of developing and implementing plans and programs for overcoming regional environmental challenges. These included cooperation and partnership with other countries as well as with regional and international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Regional Office for West Asia and the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME).

The forum reviewed a study on the establishment of the GCC Environmental Monitoring Center. In addition, it addressed developments on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The meeting also discussed the Gulf environmental electronic portal project, GCC Environment and Wildlife Award, and the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation.

On the sideline of the visit, the UAE delegation toured the waste treatment center to learn about the sector’s best practices. The delegates also gained insights on wastewater treatment plant operations, from waste collection through the different stages of treatment. The various segments of the wastewater treatment plant observed included the sorting zone, factory compost, and landfill for receiving waste in the form of ash.