Abu Dhabi - The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has received two Champion Plus awards for its long-term commitment to the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS). The awards were presented at the Twelfth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP12), held in Manila, the Philippines from 23-28 October, 2017.
EAD, on behalf of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, has hosted the CMS Office in Abu Dhabi since 2009, which administers both the CMS Memoranda of Understanding for the Conservation of African-Eurasian Raptors and that for Dugongs and seagrass habitats. In addition to CMS, the UAE hosts a number of other inter-governmental bodies including the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Dr. Abdullah Eisa Zamzam, EAD’s Assistant Secretary General of Operations, accepted the two Champion Plus awards, on behalf of HE Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, EAD’s Secretary General in the presence of Dr. Bradnee Chambers, CMS Executive Secretary. The awards were in recognition of EAD’s scientific and in-kind support to the office and the two MoUs for the period 2015-2019.
Launched in 2014, the Migratory Species Champion Programme has recognised several institutions. Through their financial assistance, political leadership and advocacy efforts, each of these Champions has been a critical part of a solution to issues that concern migratory species. EAD was among the five new Champions who received awards during this year’s event for supporting initiatives ranging from combating illegal killing of birds to implementing comprehensive measures to preserve marine life across its range states.
HE Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, EAD’s Secretary General, commented: “Winning these awards is a reflection of the Agency’s commitment to conservation, we dedicate this award to our Chairman HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, it is his stewardship that helped the Agency to become a Conservation Champion”.
Al Mubarak said; “Species conservation has been a priority for the United Arab Emirates government since the Union was formed. Our environment is home to dozens of species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles, and two to three million birds pass through the UAE each year on their migration from the heart of Asia southwards to Africa, or eastwards to India and beyond.
“Our marine habitats are home to the second largest population of Dugongs in the world. These habitats are also home to the endangered Hawksbill and Green Turtles, the world’s largest population of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, four globally threatened species of shark, three threatened species of ray, and around 456 species of fish” she added.
HE Al Mubarak noted that; “Many of the migratory species of priority interest to Abu Dhabi Emirate and the UAE are also the focus of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). Our agendas are therefore perfectly aligned. The UAE sits along the migratory pathway for 42 of the 93 species of African-Eurasian migratory birds of prey under the Raptors MOU. While, eighteen of Abu Dhabi’s twenty most threatened marine and terrestrial species are migratory. Of these, sixteen are addressed by CMS or one of its instruments”.
“We have long understood that what happens to migratory wildlife in other countries directly affects the UAE’s success in protecting species while they reside in, or pass through its territory. No matter how committed and well-resourced our country may be, long-term conservation of migratory animals can only be achieved by engaging with other countries through international cooperation and closely coordinating conservation activities across each species’ range, .” HE Al Mubarak said.
Lyle Glowka, Executive Coordinator of CMS Office - Abu Dhabi said: “We at CMS Office – Abu Dhabi have been and remain extremely fortunate to be based in the UAE and hosted by EAD in its headquarters where we have the opportunity to interact and work together with people who share our passions for dugong and raptors conservation, and who are not only our colleagues, but are our friends as well”.
“Without their support over the years - and EAD’s significant sustained core investment – the Dugong and Raptors MoUs would not be what they are today” Glowka said.
“Just this year alone EAD’s involvement has enabled us to host in Abu Dhabi a week-long series of events dedicated to Dugong and Seagrass conservation and with them develop and launch the Dugong and Seagrass Conservation Toolkit; It has also significantly contributed to our ability to coordinate the development of the Multispecies Vulture Action Plan for 15 African-Eurasian Vulture Species; we are also taking active steps to support implementation of the Saker Falcon Global Action Plan” , he added.
It is worth noting that that to date, the UAE has signed four CMS Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) covering Dugongs, African-Eurasian Birds of Prey (Raptors), Indian Ocean Marine Turtles and Sharks.
These international agreements support the Emirate and national-level conservation priorities and provide a platform for the nation to co-operate both regionally and globally with other countries that also host the migratory species occurring in the UAE’s marine and terrestrial environments at different times of the year.
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About Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)
Established in 1996, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) is committed to protecting and enhancing air quality, groundwater as well as the biodiversity of our desert and marine ecosystem. By partnering with other government entities, the private sector, NGOs and global environmental agencies, we embrace international best practice, innovation and hard work to institute effective policy measures. We seek to raise environmental awareness, facilitate sustainable development and ensure environmental issues remain a top priority on the national agenda.
About the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is the only global biodiversity-related treaty specializing in the conservation and sustainable use of a wide array of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species, their habitats and migration routes. Contracting Parties to CMS work individually and cooperatively to ensure a favourable conservation status for migratory species across their range.
About CMS Office - Abu Dhabi
CMS Office - Abu Dhabi is the largest presence of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals outside the seat of the secretariat. It has been hosted by Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi on behalf of the Government of the United Arab Emirates since 2009. The Office coordinates two CMS Memoranda of Understanding (MOU): on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and their Habitats throughout their Range (Dugong MOU) and on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MOU). The Office also addresses common threats to migratory species of regional interest including birds, marine mammals and marine turtles.
© Press Release 2017
