Marwa Abel, Head of the Capacity Building Unit at the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment, outlined the objectives of the second Blue Pioneer camp that opened on August 16 and runs until August 26. Abel explained that the program delivers interactive activities, practical applications and field visits from the first day to build participants’ knowledge of the marine environment and associated skills. The ROPME official added that the primary goal centers on instilling environmental responsibility in children and youths while conveying that the sea is not just a place for recreation.
Abel pointed to the sea’s direct connection to human life through its roles in water and food security, noting that it serves as an important source of fish stocks. Pollutants reaching the sea could produce negative repercussions for humans via the food chain, she continued. The camp seeks to teach responsible interaction with this system of organisms, habitats and ecosystems, according to Abel.
Bashayer Al-Qattan from the Public Relations Department at the Environment Public Authority affirmed that investing in human capital remains fundamental to sustainable development, with students representing the future of Kuwait. Al-Qattan indicated that the initiative introduces young people to the significance of protecting marine resources and acquaints them with governmental and private sector efforts through a practical program. Organizations participating in the camp include the Scientific Center, Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, Aquamarine Company and Kuwait Oil Company, the EPA representative reported.
The roughly 30 selected students, chosen after meeting age and academic requirements plus personal interviews, engage in setting up and caring for their own fish tanks during the program. Activities encompass a visit to the Ahmed Al-Jaber Oil and Gas Complex to examine the history of oil, its national importance and the relationship with environmental responsibility. Further sessions involve a tour of the fish market to study local species, preservation methods, fresh fish selection criteria and laboratory procedures for sample monitoring, collection, testing and analysis.
A field visit to the General Directorate of Coast Guard forms part of the schedule to illustrate its marine protection work and the hazards of behaviors such as littering and plastic dumping that affect marine life and habitats. Participants also travel to the Scientific Center to explore local marine species and the nutritional needs of fish, according to camp organizers. Al-Qattan emphasized the value of ongoing cooperation among government agencies, specialized organizations and the private sector to prepare a knowledgeable generation.
A United Nations Environment Programme assessment of the Kuwait Convention area identified municipal sewage, industrial effluents from petroleum refineries, power, desalination and petrochemical plants, plus operational and accidental oil pollution from ships, offshore installations and ballast water as primary pollution sources across the ROPME Sea Area. The region produced around 25 million barrels of oil per day in 2010, representing 23 percent of global output, with nearly half shipped through those waters. ROPME has provided technical coordination for the associated Kuwait Action Plan on environmental assessment and management among its eight member states since the organization’s establishment.
