The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), in partnership with Borouge,has launched a podcast as part of a series of episodes titled “Naturally Educated” that is focused on significant environmental topics, hosting an expert who will be sharing their knowledge and experience on the podcast, which will be hosted on EAD’s Sustainable CampusInitiative (SCI) – a youth-focused website.
The first episode has been released, with EAD planning to produce several other episodes based around a wide range of topics that aim to inspire, share knowledge, and serve as a tool used in university curricula and that can support research and project-based learnings.
EAD’s first episodehostedHumaid Abdulla Kanji, an Environmental Economist in the Integrated Environment Policy & Planning (IEPP) Sector at the Agency and dedicated to the important topic of climate change. With climate change increasingly impacting the environment, Al Kanji discussed the better choices everyone can make and what is currently happening on the ground as part of the effort to tackle the issue. He also discussed how the challenge of climate change has shifted since the COVID-19 pandemic.
From air pollution and biodiversity loss, to sustainability, circular economy, and climate change, EAD’s podcast will tackle a range of challenges facing the planet today. The Agency believes that within every challenge lies an opportunity to do better and improve the status quo when it comes to environmental work.
Leveraging their subject knowledge, research, and insights, EAD experts will inform their audience about what needs to be done on the ground to be able to restore and recover the environment’s ecosystem, and for the planet to truly thrive in the decades and centuries to come.
EAD selected podcasts as a tool for learning as it helps youth better understand topic concepts, and not to just remember them, plus they help engage younger viewers and expand their knowledge base.
Additionally, youth who are less informed regarding the environment and sustainable living can come away with better awareness and understanding about what it means to create a sustainable future, which is the main mandate of EAD. The podcasts are designed to increase awareness around environmental sustainability and encourage young people to take action in the community. Khansa Ibraheem Al Blouki- Director, Environmental Outreach Environmental Information, Science & Outreach ManagementDivision at EAD on the occasion said: “At EAD we always strive to be progressive and in tune with the most popular media channels of today. As such, we decided to develop a series of podcasts because we know that as a medium it is very effective in reaching our young people. In fact, studies have proven that podcast listeners trust podcasts more than traditional media, and we are aware that youth are shifting away from traditional media towards a digital world, and we want to capture and engage with this movement.”
Khansa added: “We have meticulously selected the hosts who we believe would be credible and who have a solid following of our target audience. We have also carefully chosen our experts from within the Agency that we believe can provide scientific, informative and interesting data about all the hot environmental topics resonating around the world.”
She elaborated: “Podcasts are an informative channel that build a sincere association with the target audience and will help us to reach out to the community. We believe that this medium encourages creative learning; Unlike the traditional pedagogic methods of education, podcasting gives a way to new strategies through guest lectures, interviews, videos and demonstrations to name a few. This helps to encourage students to develop their own podcasts, improve their listening skills, and enhance their learning by targeting their areas of interest.”
Maitha Al Marashi– Vice President sustainability from Borougesaid: “It is always a pleasure for us at Borouge to once again partner with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi on innovative and community-driven environmental initiatives as part of our CSR campaigns. We are very excited about the utilisation of podcasts as a tool to discuss and share with the community important topics related to the environment in a manner that is not generic. The youth of today prefer to watch or listen to data and through this series of podcasts we will be better prepared to engage with them and attract them to take action.”
She also added: “Youth are the future of sustainability and the future advocates for controversial topics like climate change, the conservation of biodiversity and living in harmony with nature to name a few and through these podcasts they will be more informed and enlightened in order to take the torch forward into the future as leaders in the field of environment.”
The two hosts for the EAD podcasts are: Sheikh Dr. Majid Al Qassimi, who is a Director of Animal Health and Development from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and sits on the advisory Board of the UAE University College of Food and Agriculture and Abdul Rahman Al Zaabi, holder of a master’s degree in renewable Energy from Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi.
Regarding upcoming episodes, the second episodefeaturesRashed Mohamed Al Zaabi, who is a Scientist in the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector (TMBS) at EAD. With protected areas at the core of the fight against climate change, he talked about their significance in biodiversity conservation and the ecosystem, discussing how biodiversity can be viewed differently to make it more accessible and an everyday topic.
The third episode will be an interview with Maitha Mohamed Al Hameli, who is a Lead Specialist in Marine Threatened Species and Habitats at the TMBS Sector in EAD. With biodiversity playing an essential role in the ecosystem, she discussed the present factors that have led to a loss in biodiversity, highlighting the key methods used to conserve biodiversity across the UAE.