Zayed is a rare model of environmental awareness and the protection of normal life

When talking about the environment, the name of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, is highlighted, as a rare model in deep awareness of the importance of preserving nature and its resources and the protection of the environment, as he was able to achieve many achievements in this field not only local, but at the level of The whole world.

Sheikh Zayed has been keen since the establishment of the state to protect the environment and wildlife, and to provide all systems, legislation, programs and projects that made the UAE one of the forerunner countries in the field of caring for the environment, and a model that is followed at the global level in caring for the environment and protecting it and preserving the right of successive generations to enjoy life in a clean and healthy environment And safe, and expressed his deep belief in these principles in his saying: “Preserving the nature is a commitment and a sacred duty, we must not be a vital balance, because our survival depends on it, and we must play a positive role in leaving this land a green place for our coming generations.” And his saying also: “We give our environment most of our attention because it is an organic part of our country, our history and our heritage.

And Sheikh Zayed’s interest in the environment appeared early, which was described by the famous British journalist Patrick Cell, who met him in 1965 in his hometown in Al Ain, when he was ruler. And more than that is his awareness of the importance of preserving every drop of water and using it useful, as the planting of trees was his real passion.

Thanks to Sheikh Zayed Environmental Consciousness, Abu Dhabi preceded many countries of the world in implementing a number of ambitious projects to transform the arid desert areas into a green paradise, before sustainability and environmental protection were presented as essential elements of any development program worldwide.

In 1969, Sheikh Zayed launched a general policy of afforestation with the establishment of the first artificial forest in the emirate in the city of Zayed in the Al Dhafra region, and the afforestation program witnessed a rapid expansion from that date until the total area of ​​forests, agriculture and entertainment parks reached about 360124 hectares in 2004, or the equivalent of 5.35 % Of the total area of ​​the emirate.

Environmental initiatives

During the era of Sheikh Zayed and its successor, the UAE launched a number of environmental programs and initiatives that aim to protect sensitive desert environmental systems and the rare plants and animals that are dangerous complications of environmental pollution and human transgressions, since the sixties of the 20th century the emirate has made tremendous efforts to create and rehabilitate many natural habitats The wildlife reserves, which were the cause of saving several types of rare animals from the edge of extinction, launched a number of programs for the propagation of the Arab and the Browser, and others in captivity, and returning them to the wilderness, which helped to resettle them in the areas where they were wandering free. In addition, Abu Dhabi has made a number of important initiatives to maintain groundwater tanks, which contributed to finding a positive balance between rapid growth today and the right of future generations to a better life.