Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, the UAE Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, emphasized the UAE’s inclusive and action-oriented approach to water sustainability and its impact on the nation’s security and economy-wide roadmap to achieve net-zero emissions during the 2023 United Nations Water Conference.
Almheiri, while delivering the UAE’s national statement at the conference, underlined the significance of responsible water management, especially for a country with limited freshwater resources and a growing population and economy. She quoted the late Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, the nation’s founder, saying, “water is not simply a commodity; it is our lifeblood.”
Additionally, Almheiri confirmed that the UAE would prioritize water security and sustainability on the global climate action agenda as it prepares to host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai.
She represented the UAE at a ministerial-level meeting of the UN Security Council focusing on the provision of water and sanitation services to civilians during armed conflict. Almheiri urged the international community to increase support for the protection of water systems and humanitarian efforts, stressing the need for more effective action and a stronger response to these challenges.
Furthermore, Almheiri participated in two high-level events on the sidelines of the conference, including a meeting co-hosted by the UAE COP28 Presidency, Egypt, the Netherlands, Tajikistan, the Stockholm International Water Institute, and UN Water to identify priority actions to address the water and climate change nexus at COP28 and in the first Global Stocktake. She also took part in a high-level interactive dialogue hosted by Egypt and Japan to identify inclusive solutions, strategies, and resources to address the links between water, climate change, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity, and the environment.