Oman proposes joint GCC response to marine oil spills

MANAMA: Represented by the Environment Authority, the Sultanate of Oman on Monday took part in the 28th meeting of the Committee of GCC Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs. The meeting was held in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. Oman was represented by Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority.
The meeting discussed a proposal made by the Sultanate of Oman on consolidating joint GCC environmental action for responding to marine oil pollution incidents. The ministers recommended tasking the GCC General Secretariat with arranging a meeting between the Sultanate of Oman and the GCC Emergency Management Centre to study the Omani proposal and, accordingly, draft joint cooperation mechanisms.
The meeting also discussed a number of topics of priority in the field of environmental protection. It explored ways to enhance joint Gulf environmental action and coordinate positions at regional and international forums. The discussions focused on the 2030 Action Plan set by the Committee of GCC Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs, as well as a project to devise a GCC Environmental Performance Index. The ministers also looked into issues related to the protection of wildlife and biodiversity, the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI), the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the GCC agreement on the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats.
The meeting also reviewed a number of international environmental files, including the eighth session of the UN Environment Assembly and the mechanism of GCC coordination towards international negotiations about drafting a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. — ONA