Dr. Wajdan Al-Aqab, Chairperson of the National Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and President of the Kuwait Environment Protection Society, affirmed that “we in the National Committee of the IUCN – Kuwait believe that protecting biodiversity is not a luxury, but a national and moral duty, and a guarantee for the future of generations. The Society pledges that its term as Chairperson of the Committee will be distinguished and yield outstanding results during these next two years.”.
This came during the participation of the committee and the Environment Society in the celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity, which was organized by the Kuwait Oil Tanker Company in cooperation with the National Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Environment Public Authority under the slogan “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development” with the participation of many related parties, and was held under the patronage of Sheikh Khalid Ahmed Al-Malik Al-Sabah, Acting CEO of the Kuwait Oil Tanker Company, and Nouf Ali Behbehani, Acting Director General of the Environment Public Authority.
In her speech at the opening ceremony, Dr. Al-Aqab called on “all parties and individuals to be part of this harmony, and to turn our slogans into actions that restore the natural balance to its rightful place, and ensure the survival of life in its most beautiful form.” She added, “We are proud that Kuwait has ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity and prepared its national reports, which reflects its global commitment to preserving biodiversity. Despite this pride in our environment, it is suffering from drought and scarcity of rain, deterioration of vegetation cover, and the clear impact of climate change on more than one level, which calls for a serious pause to reflect on the environmental situation that is worsening due to irresponsible practices.”.
She added, ”We gather today to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity, which falls on May 2nd every year. This year’s theme carries profound significance: “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.“ It is not merely a slogan, but a genuine call to reconsider the nature of our relationship with ecosystems, to shift from a logic of exploitation to one of partnership, and to align our needs for urban development and consumption with a sense of balance. The world aspires to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and these goals have been extensively discussed in international conferences and forums in the hope of accelerating progress on a large scale. Unfortunately, however, we are confronted with a reality that does not reflect these efforts.”.
“Today, by entity we mean the National Standing Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature in the State of Kuwait, which includes in its membership the Environment Public Authority, a governmental body, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, a research body, and the Kuwait Environment Protection Society and the Kuwait Water Association as civil society institutions. Integration of roles and harmony of specialization must leave a green mark on this effort.”.
Dr. Wajdan Al-Aqab noted, “The National Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Kuwait calls for concerted national efforts to achieve harmony with nature, each according to its powers. In this committee, the Environment Public Authority, as an executive and regulatory body, has not hesitated to implement environmental laws and requirements and follow up on international agreements. Plans do not progress without supporting their foundations with research, studies, and scientific comparisons provided by the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. Civil society organizations have a subtle influence on the plans by communicating them to the community in different and varied ways. The Kuwait Water Association, for example, focused on the impact of rationalizing water consumption on reducing pressure on the marine and coastal environment to protect biodiversity.”.
She pointed out that the Kuwait Environment Protection Society played a pioneering role in environmental awareness, through the Arab-approved environmental documentary series, such as “Every Day a Bird” and ”Every Day a Plant,” which documented wildlife in Kuwait in an unprecedented way, and became an environmental reference for Arab countries, and a scientific resource supporting the educational curriculum in Kuwaiti schools, with the aim of introducing the importance of preserving the environment and biodiversity and enhancing the role of entities and individuals alike.
During the celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Environment Society presented a visual presentation that addressed its efforts in the areas of preserving biodiversity in the State of Kuwait, as well as participating with a large documentary awareness pavilion that included the achievements of its teams and specialized committees, in addition to participating in the panel discussion entitled “How do we achieve a balance between sustainable development and preserving biodiversity?”.
