In addition to the Council members, the meeting drew the participation of key environmental stakeholders from federal and local government entities in the country.

As the first order of business, the Council evaluated the results of the UAE National Air Emissions Inventory Project that were published on the website of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) earlier in February. The first national-level inventory of emissions in the UAE identifies the key sources of air pollutants in the country with the aim of formulating strategies to improve air quality.

Council members also reviewed the unified municipal work guide that was developed in collaboration with municipal authorities across the seven emirates to align and streamline procedures nationwide.

Among the other topics of interest discussed at the meeting were Planting Week 2019 that saw the cultivation of 500,000 trees across the country.

His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi highlighted the importance of the Council’s meetings in devising solutions to the UAE’s most crucial environmental challenges through developing comprehensive plans for the implementation of effective projects and initiatives.

He said: “Building productive synergies between the public and private sectors is a priority in the UAE. Through presiding over the Council, MOCCAE aims to drive effective public private partnership initiatives to enhance environmental sustainability in the country.”

Furthermore, the participants discussed stepping up cooperation with the private sector to boost its contribution to advancing the country’s sustainability agenda. They also identified ways to encourage all sectors to take proactive measures to climate-proof their assets and operations.

The Council members also reviewed the second edition of the UAE State of the Environment Report that is now available in Arabic on MOCCAE’s website. The document provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the environment in the UAE, as well as the existing and projected environmental pressures and challenges.

The last item on the agenda was a briefing of the national indices for 2019, including the per capita environmental footprint, air quality, generated waste, and waste treatment.