UAE creates coalition to monitor health of coastal waters

The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Environment and Water (MEW) said Tuesday that it has created a new initiative to keep the UAE's coastal environment in good health.

The new initiative will get its mandate from a memorandum of understanding with the National Center of Meteorology and Seismology, the municipalities of Dubai, Fujairah and Umm Al-Quwain, the municipality and Planning Department in Ajman and the Environment Protection and Development Authority in Ras Al Khaimah. It also matches the vision of the National Strategy for the Sustainability of Marine and Coastal Environment that the MEW announced in March.

The coalition will work together to monitor and control the UAE's coastal and aquatic areas.

“The initiative aims to unite all related efforts and boost the relevant programs of each emirate for the development of an integrated and comprehensive national marine and coastal environment strategy for its continuous monitoring and evaluation," UAE Minister of Environment and Water Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad said. "This strategy will enhance the sustainability of the local marine ecosystem and help achieve the national indicators for the country's marine and coastal areas.”

MEW officials said the initiative will make use of the diversity of monitoring, data collection and analytical tools available to all of the project's partners. The information will eventually help the initiative shift from observation to several proactive measures meant to conserve the UAE's marine environment.