Shorouk Awad (Dubai)
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment launched the National Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2026), which ensures the protection of natural resources, the environment and society from the impact of invasive alien species, and the preservation of local biodiversity through response plans and the reduction of invasive species. The strategy provides an overview of the current status of invasive species in the country and identifies measures to manage them.
In statements to Al-Ittihad, the ministry said that the strategy was based on 5 main objectives represented in improving public awareness of invasive alien species, enhancing the ability to manage them, preventing their introduction and spread, managing their priority species in the fight, and enhancing and strengthening cooperation and coordination at the national, regional and international levels.
The ministry indicated that the stages of preparing the strategy and the national plan of action for invasive species took place through the formation of a national committee of the competent authorities in the country, and several meetings were held to discuss all aspects related to the strategy and its action plan, where a draft of the strategy and plan was prepared and reviewed by all experts and specialists, and a workshop was held. National action in cooperation with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with the participation of experts from the competent authorities, academic bodies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to adopt and discuss the strategy and its action plan, which aims to regulate and reduce invasive species through the development of response plans to the impacts of species and their approval by the Ministry and the Executive Committee for Biodiversity .
Invasive species
The Ministry confirmed that the invasive alien species in the country were distributed among vascular plants such as (fountain grass, succulent plants, lantana, and nettles), and birds such as (Mina rivers, Myna common, rock pigeon, house crow, Alexandrine Parrot, and Corded Durra Parrot). and predatory mammals (such as black rats, brown rats, house mice, wild cats, and wild dogs) and herbivores and livestock such as wild goats, amphibians such as the common Asiatic frog, and wild mollusks such as (freshwater melania red-rimmed, giant African snails, and wild snails) And insects such as (the flat-backed arrogant ant, the Argentine ant, the Singapore ant, the ghost ant, the fire ant, and the red palm weevil).
The Ministry indicated the intrusion of invasive alien species into the country from other continents and neighboring countries, where they are introduced or spread through methods called “paths”, intentionally or unintentionally or through scattering, and the factors that enable invasive alien species to move in Tracks are called “carriers.” Examples of carriers on marine or waterways include ships and pleasure craft that can inadvertently transport alien organisms in cargo containers, packaging, fishing gear, and ballast water, or may be attached to hulls.
The Ministry explained that the UAE’s strategic approach to confronting invasive alien species is based on identifying the priority paths for the current introduction and the species that are likely to enter the country in the future, as these species can cause a number of problems, the most important of which is the transformation into predators, competitors, parasites, hybrids, and diseases that affect Local flora and fauna, threatening the survival of local flora and fauna through their competition for resources, thus upsetting ecosystems, and controlling them becomes costly if not handled properly, and can endanger human health if organisms host external pests and diseases, In addition to causing negative changes in genetic material if it interacts with local species.
The ministry indicated that the national action plan extends for five years from the current year until 2026, and the plan will be reviewed according to an adaptive administrative approach to ensure the achievement of the vision and strategic goals. Emphasizing that it will implement the plan in cooperation with the concerned authorities, evaluate progress and submit reports annually to the Emirates Council on Climate Change and the Environment.
threats to the environment
The Ministry explained invasive alien species in the United Arab Emirates as non-native species of plants, animals and microorganisms whose introduction or spread poses a major threat to natural ecosystems through loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation around the world, and also affects the environment, economy and society, including Including human health, and the threats posed by current and potential invasive alien species lead to the loss of biodiversity, and cause severe environmental impacts if not controlled, pointing out that the state takes measures to confront invasive alien species and protect its natural resources.
3 priorities
The ministry clarified that the strategy’s implementation procedures were based on 3 priorities, namely, immediate measures, which are necessary to prevent the extinction or eradication of endemic and local threatened species, which are required to be implemented between one to two years, and priority measures in the medium term, which are necessary to avoid a significant decrease in the numbers of endemic and local species. Required to be implemented between 2 to 4 years, and long-term priority actions recommended for species and ecosystem restoration, which are non-essential measures and may require about 5 years to be implemented.
The ministry confirmed that it is following up on the implementation of the strategy in cooperation with the main stakeholders working to combat invasive alien species in the country, where progress is evaluated and reports are submitted annually during the meeting of the Emirates Council on Climate and Environmental Change, where a number of priority measures will be started during the phase These priority actions will allow for effective implementation of the plan, periodic evaluation of progress and active participation of key stakeholders who play an important role in supporting the various components of the strategy and its action plan.
Execution Mechanism
The Ministry explained the mechanism for implementing the plan based on directing the management and control of invasive alien species within the country, and clarifying the axes of the plan in detail through a series of recommended actions, based on the unique challenges and opportunities facing each of the high-priority invasive species, where a time frame was allocated For each of the actions within the implementation plan, on the immediate, medium or long term based on the priority level, an annual review of the implementation plan and priority actions will also be conducted to address emerging requirements and challenges, and measure progress towards achieving the results of the plan, and within the framework of the continuous development of information and administrative guidance on Invasive species, management strategies and proposed priority actions may also change with future changes, especially as new information and research becomes available, or new high-risk invasive species emerge.
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