Municipalities Coordination Council Meets

The Ministry of Environment and Water recently held a meeting of the Municipalities
Coordination Council in the presence of Rashid Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment
and Water and a number of Municipality chiefs in the country.
The Minister stressed on the importance of interaction between municipalities of
the country, the cooperation among them to preserve the country's environment,
reviewing the best practices applied in the field of environment, and circulating their
benefits to all municipalities of the country. He also focused on the importance of
popularizing successful initiatives and best practices applied in the field of municipal
work.
During the meeting various matters relating to the preservation of the environment
in different areas related to the field of municipal work were discussed and best
practices in this area were reviewed. It also discussed the constraints, ways of
cooperation and interdependence between the municipalities of the country to
preserve the environment.
The meeting took up and reviewed matters relating to the farms in the country and
the importance of the role of counseling and guidance to farmers on various subjects
relating to agriculture and palm trees were emphasized.

The meeting also discussed the issue of plastic bags and the need to strengthen the
efforts of municipalities to reduce plastic bags and encourage the use of municipal
biodegradable bags. It also reviewed the Federal decisions issued in this regard and
the efforts by the Ministry, as well as the efforts and the role of municipalities in the
implementation of this initiative.
The meeting took stock of the plastic usage rate, and damages resulting from the use
of plastic bags on the environment, and the ministry's efforts in reducing plastic bags
were also discussed.
The meeting also emphasized the importance of reducing waste and the use
of unique and successful best experiences in this field, and to benefit from the
experience of the city of Dubai in the waste minimization and management.

The preparations of the municipalities to celebrate the 14th National Environment
Day, which will be held this year under the title of "the desert comes to life", were
reviewed.

They also discussed the implementation of the soil maps project and the importance

of information and uses of land, and the importance of planning on the basis of this
information.
The meeting also took up the issue of the sale of agricultural products in the streets
in the country and all pointed out that this phenomenon is uncivilized and unhealthy
and the competent authorities should act united to stop this practice and impose
fines on violators as well as monitor the sites they are taking as centers for sale.
The Ministry, in collaboration with the municipalities, will have an active role to
monitor sales locations in order to provide the health requirements and control their
activities by taking random samples and examine them quickly in the laboratories
of the ministry to make sure they are free of pesticide residues that are harmful to
human and animal health. The attendees of the meeting stressed the need to strictly
apply control measures on the traditional food markets in the country.

Dubai Municipality presented the experiences in the field of green building, and
the meeting reviewed the statistics on the project's progress as well as the energy
consumption in residential areas and the initiatives and solutions that have been
taken up by the municipality to conserve energy and reduce its use in its buildings.
It also reviewed the plans developed by the Municipality and its strategy in this
area, the initial status of the project, the efforts of the municipality in the study
and implementation of the project, international laws in this area, and key results
targeted by the application of green building standards and strategies for action
during the next phase of implementation of the project.
The meeting also emphasized the need to strengthen and integrate the concept of
green cities in the cities of the country. Emphasis was placed on the importance of
reducing energy and water use and rationalization of consumption, as they were one
of the basic wealth of the country and an important source of life.
The meeting also stressed the need to provide solutions to enact laws relating to this
area.