A Greener Gulf Begins in Bahrain

The Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) organized a Gulf regional workshop on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List standards for protected areas and Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and with technical support from the IUCN.

SCE Chief Executive Officer Amina Hamad Al Rumaihi highlighted the workshop's importance in enhancing GCC cooperation in environmental protection and biodiversity conservation through knowledge exchange, capacity building, and adopting international best practices in protected area management.

She said the initiative reflects ongoing efforts to improve protected area management effectiveness and strengthen environmental programmes aimed at conserving vital ecosystems, protecting wildlife species and their natural habitats, and enhancing resilience against environmental challenges and climate change.

The workshop opened with remarks by Nouf Ali Al Wasmi, Director of the Natural Reserves Department at the Supreme Council for Environment, who welcomed participants and stressed the importance of strengthening Gulf cooperation in environmental conservation and exchanging expertise to improve protected area management according to international standards.

Meanwhile, Saleh bin Houshan Al Houshan, Director of the Environment Department at the GCC General Secretariat,emphasized that the workshop reflects joint Gulf efforts to build environmental capacities, enhance the efficiency of natural reserve management, and promote sustainable ecosystem conservation through improved environmental governance, exchange of expertise, and the application of modern scientific approaches.