The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) is organizing the National Environment Day 21 Exhibition, which will kick off on Thursday, February 15 at the Festival Arena in Festival City Dubai and run for five days, targeting school students and community members. In addition to MOCCAE, this year's exhibition will witness the participation of Dubai Municipality, the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, the Department of Works and Public Services-Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain Municipality, the Department of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture-Sharjah and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Taif Mohammed Al Amiri, Director of Government Communications at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, said that the UAE is celebrating the 21st National Environment Day under the theme "Sustainable Production and Consumption" for the second consecutive year, to continue efforts to stimulate the move towards sustainable production and consumption patterns in the UAE.

"Celebrating the National Environment Day in the Year of Zayed adds considerable value to the occasion. The UAE founding father and visionary leader had always considered the environment part and parcel of his philosophy and day to day practices. Sustaining the environment for generations to come was among the top priorities in his endeavors to build the country, paving the way for the country's sustainable development," Al Amiri noted.

In the UAE, we believe that sustainable production and consumption is an essential part of national responsibility for institutions and individuals alike. The consumer society is increasingly gaining importance in this regard, as it dictates production trends and influences producer responsibility. Ultimately, consumption is an individual choice that depends on a combination of factors, such as desire, often influenced by advertising, purchasing power and awareness," she elaborated.

"As a government, we continue to work relentlessly towards reducing the negative effects of production and consumption patterns and transforming them to sustainable ones that contribute to realizing sustainable development in the country, in line with UAE Vision 2021."

The National Environment Day Exhibition highlights six focus areas – the environmental achievements of the founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the basics of agriculture, endangered animals, saving water and energy, waste sorting and recycling, and preserving the UAE's marine life. The exhibition aims to introduce children and families to the concepts of sustainability of natural resources and environmental conservation, and comprises eight themed pavilions: Zayed – Man of the Environment, Little Farmer, Forest, Sustainable City, Heroes of the Sea, Waste Sorting, Little Scientist, and Cinema.

The exhibition is open to the public from Thursday, February 15 to Monday, February 19 from 9 am to 9 pm.