Oil and Environment Minister participates in Second UN Ocean Conference

Lisbon, June 28 (BNA): Oil and Environment Minister, and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Daina, has asserted that the kingdom’s accession to the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People reflects its keenness to sustain and preserve marine wealth and water resources. The move is in implementation of the visions of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and the follow-up of HM the King’s Personal Representative and President of the Supreme Council for Environment, His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, he said. The minister was speaking while participating in the “2022 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” (Second UN Ocean Conference), which kicked off here on June 27 and will run until July 1. While taking part in an Interactive Dialogue themed “Addressing Marine Pollution”, Dr. Bin Daina said that Bahrain continues to back the efforts of the international community to protect and preserve the seas, oceans and water resources in order to ensure the sustainable use of the seas and marine resources and wealth, and help countries achieve the 14th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 14). The Minister of Oil and Environment highlighted Bahrain’s great interest in addressing the potential threats to the marine environment and the sustainability of its natural resources, especially given the fact that the marine environment constitutes about 90% of the total area of the Kingdom. He affirmed the Kingdom's keenness to combat marine pollutants and illegal practices in the seas, as well as address the adverse effects of climate change on seas and coastal ecosystems that store blue carbon, such as seagrass and mangroves. Dr. Bin Daina also reviewed the efforts exerted by Bahrain at the national, regional and international levels to confront the environmental and climatic challenges related to the marine environment, through the environmental programmes, projects and legislation it has adopted to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. He indicated that the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People is an intergovernmental group of nearly 100 countries, championing a global deal for nature and people with the central goal of protecting at least 30 percent of world’s land and ocean by 2030. The 30x30 target is a global target which aims to halt the accelerating loss of species, and protect vital ecosystems that are the source of our economic security.