Unilever Gulf has organised a working session with 30 young environmental activists from various GEMS Education schools in Dubai and American University of Sharjah
In the session, the activists shared their expectations and proposed solutions to the plastic waste issue with the UAE minister of Climate Change and Environment Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. The session was also attended by private sector representatives and NGOs.
In the UAE, sustainability is becoming an increasingly dominant influence over the consumers thanks to the leadership and efforts of the local government in building awareness and knowledge. People care more and more about their impact on the environment and the ingredients in the products they purchase.
Emphasising the importance of youth engagement in sustainability drives, Al Zeyoudi said, “In the UAE, we have always held our youth in the highest regard because we believe young people are the most effective change agents and realise the need to enhance their role in tackling climate change. In order to enable youth engagement in sustainable development, the UAE government has launched dedicated strategies, such as the UAE Youth Global Initiative and the Emirates Youth Climate Strategy.”
“Plastics is one of the main challenges that we face now, and we all need to change our attitudes towards plastic consumption and waste management. I believe that we have the wisdom and the passion to become one of the most environmentally friendly nations in the world. We thank the students for sharing their ideas and assure them that we are working closely with the Ministry of Education to implement environmental studies in the curricula across all stages of elementary and secondary education,” he added.
