Story | 14 May, 2018

EAGL Network Established, Members Trained

Establishment of EAGL network for West Asia region

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EAGL network for West Asia training in Abu Dhabi on 10 May 2018

Photo: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 10 May 2018 (IUCN)

 

EAGL Network Established, Members Trained

 

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 10 May 2018 (IUCN)

 

 


 

 

Training for IUCN EAGL experts for the Green List Standard for Protected and Conserved Areas was conducted in Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of the First Regional Biodiversity Forum, which was held from 7 – 9 May 2018. The EAGL network consists of 13 members who were selected based on their competencies after a call for proposal.

 

The 13 EAGL members are regional experts who are specialized in biodiversity and protected areas. They came from Jordan, UAE, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, Oman and Kuwait. They have extensive experience in and knowledge of the management of protected and conserved areas; in the West Asia region and the Middle East, where the EAGL group will operate.

 

Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector, commended the formation of the EAGL network by saying that “the efforts exerted by the Environmental Agency – Abu Dhabi in the activation and application of the Green List Standard for Protected and Conserved Area in the Arab region are closely aligned with the Abu Dhabi government’s keenness to enhance, lead and join environmental actions. The network also aims to support this global initiative, which has a positive impact on the environment and contributes to improving the effective management of protected areas.”

 

Mr. James Hardcastle, IUCN’s lead on the IUCN Green List Programme Development, says that “the Green List is a voluntary standard that ensures that all certified sites fulfil three major criteria: good governance, effective management and sound design and planning. In addition, the Standard requires that the site demonstrate successful results from conservation efforts. The certificate is valid for 5 years, during which the site should continue making improvements to the protected and conserved area on the Green List.”

 

 

Protected Areas cannot provide benefits to nature and society if they are not managed effectively; therefore, a set of 17 criteria for the assessment of management effectiveness, equity and conservation results was established. This is not only to provide protection for wildlife and its ecosystems but also to evaluate its role in the provision of the services to people and communities.” James adds, “IUCN and EAD have a joint plan to support the protected areas in the UAE by joining the Green List Programme in 2018. In addition, IUCN hopes that across the region, there will be 15 candidate sites to evaluate; successful sites will be added to the Green List. These successful sites will be announced and awarded at the 14th meeting of the Conference of Parties on Biological Diversity, which will be held in November this year in Egypt.”  

 

Representing IUCN ROWA in the training, Dr. Hany El-Shaer, the Regional Programme Coordinator, a.e, mentions that “the decision to form the Arabic EAGL network came to cater for the Arab region, and it complies with IUCN global criteria for the selection of its members. The network is vital to the nomination and announcement of the global Green List’s protected and conserved areas in West Asia and the Middle East. We hope that the Arabic version of the Green List and its related EAGL network will encourage more sites and locations in the region to apply the international Standard to their protected areas and join the Green List Programme.”

 

The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas (GLPCA) Programme aims to encourage, achieve, and promote effective, equitable and successful protected areas in all partner countries and jurisdictions. The overarching objective of the GLPCA Programme is to increase the number of protected and conserved areas that are effectively and equitably managed and deliver conservation outcomes. At the heart of the IUCN GLPCA Programme is the Global Standard. It describes a set of components, criteria and indicators for successful conservation in protected areas and thereby provides an international benchmark for quality that motivates improved performance and achievement of conservation objectives. By committing to meet this standard, site managers seek to demonstrate and maintain performance and deliver real nature conservation results.

 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN):

IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,300 Member organisations and the input of more than 10,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.

www.iucn.org

 

Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi:

Established in 1996, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) is committed to protecting and enhancing air quality, groundwater as well as the biodiversity of our desert and marine ecosystem. By partnering with other government entities, the private sector, NGOs and global environmental agencies, we embrace international best practice, innovation and hard work to institute effective policy measures. We seek to raise environmental awareness, facilitate sustainable development and ensure environmental issues remain one of the top priorities of our national agenda.​

https://www.ead.ae

 

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:

 

Anwar Abu Sakieneh, Communications Officer, IUCN Office
Tel: +962 6 554 6912, Mobile: +962 7 7788 8522, Anwar.AbuSakieneh@iucn.org;

Web: http://iucn.org

 

Photo is available at/from: IUCN ROWA