On the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit’s EcoWASTE Forum, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and Singapore’s Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) today kicked off a joint workshop on zero waste.
The two-day technical workshop follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two ministries that mandates the UAE and Singapore to share best practices in waste management.
The theme of the event, zero waste, is in line with the fourth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), set to run in March 2019, that will address sustainable consumption and production. The workshop drew the participation of relevant experts from municipalities, waste management authorities, and the hospitality sector in the UAE and the wider GCC region.
Addressing the audience, His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “Waste management is a global challenge, given the increasing amount of waste generated each year due to the drastic changes in the lifestyles and habits of people across the globe. It is particularly relevant for a country like the UAE where the population is surging continually.”
He added: “The UAE Government is taking the necessary measures to meet its ambitious target of diverting 75 percent of all municipal solid waste away from landfills by 2021 as outlined in the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021. In May 2018, we issued a federal law on integrated waste management that governs the management of all types of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Furthermore, we are developing several regulations targeting the management of different streams of waste and their methods of disposal.”
His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi commended the successful experience of Singapore in waste management. In July 2018, he attended the Urban Sustainability Week in Singapore and explored some of the innovative technologies and practices adopted to maximize resource efficiency in the country.
For his part, His Excellency Masagos Zulkifli bin Masagos Mohamad, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said: “Singapore and the UAE enjoy deep-rooted ties on multiple fronts. Waste management is a complex challenge that requires collective action. Governments alone cannot effectively address this challenge, and it is imperative that the private sector and society as a whole work together to mitigate waste before it even reaches landfills.”
He added: “Through this workshop, we seek to share our expertise and best practices in waste management with stakeholders in the UAE, and also benefit from their experience in this field to achieve Singapore’s ambition of becoming a zero waste society by 2030.”