The General Secretariat of the Supreme Legislation Committee in the Emirate of Dubai (SLC) has successfully concluded the second edition of the Summer Legal Awareness Programme for 2023, themed ‘Legislation and Sustainable Development’. The events for this edition commenced on 1 August 2023 and continued until 24 August 2023.
The programme aimed to highlight sustainable economic models and focused on the legislation pertaining to green and circular economy, climate action, environment conservation, government contracts, interim real property register, and governance of councils/ boards and committees. In addition, the programme included the distribution of knowledge publications promoting sustainable development goals, summer training courses, panel discussions, and field visits organised by the SLC in partnership with stakeholders.
Ahmad Saeed bin Meshar Al Muhairi, Secretary General of the SLC, stated: “The Summer Legal Awareness Programme provided a platform to advance legal knowledge and enhance the public understanding of the crucial role that legislation plays in creating more sustainable economic and development systems. He added, the events and sessions of the programme offered a dynamic space highlighting the key themes of COP 28 and recognising the significance of creating a legislative framework that encourages sustainable transformation across various sectors and supports the country’s efforts to host the most significant event focusing on the international climate agenda. In addition, the programme provided an opportunity for our youth cadres to share their thoughts on addressing climate change issues, in line with our unwavering commitment to involve the youth in sustainable development and climate action.”
Mohammed Juma Al Suwaidi, Assistant Secretary General of the SLC, emphasised the SLC’s commitment to foster harmony between the legislative system and the objectives of sustainable development and climate protection. This will support the efforts of developing a legislative infrastructure that overcomes regulatory barriers that prevent adopting environmentally sustainable and climate-responsible methodologies and frameworks within various sectors. Furthermore, Al Suwaidi shed light on various aspects of the programme, which encompassed a wide range of focus areas and witnessed broad participation, creating a favourable environment for legislative cooperation and innovation. It also served as a platform to underscore the role of legislative tools and legal frameworks in mitigating the impact of climate and environmental challenges and accelerating sustainable development efforts.
Dr. Najat Al Amri, Head of Infrastructure and Government Regulatory Legislation and Supervisor of the Summer Legal Awareness Programme, emphasised that the programme created a comprehensive knowledge space to promote sustainable development. This was achieved by understanding the significant economic models that support sustainable development, identifying various environmental issues, and addressing them through legislative mechanisms. Dr. Al Amri also shared an overview of important legislation that accelerated the transformation and the achievement of sustainable development targets, in line with the ground-breaking efforts of the UAE.
The main agenda of the Summer Legal Awareness Programme included a series of knowledge publications, workshops, and events. It featured two sessions presented by Dr. Najat Al Amri, focusing on sustainable economic models and titled ‘Green Economy Undermines Classic Economy’ and ‘Circular Economy Limits the Scope of Linear Economy’. Furthermore, the programme encompassed a session entitled ‘Dubai Frame’ presented by H.E. Ahmad Saeed bin Meshar Al Muhairi, the SLC Secretary General, and Aisha Abdulla Al Madhani, Senior Legal Officer at the Secretary General’s Office.
In addition, the programme included sessions led by Essa Hassan Al Karani, Legal Officer at the Legislation Directorate, titled 'The Interim Real Property Register and Escrow Accounts’, by Drs Saood Obaid Al Mansoori, Director of the Legal Advice and Opinion Directorate, titled ‘Pre-valuation of Compensation in Government Contracts’. Hessa Al Maoli, Assistant Legal Adviser and Rafeeah Mohamed Al Owais, Senior Legal Officer at the Legislation Directorate, also presented a session titled ‘Environmental Damage and Legislative Solutions’ while Aisha Abdulla Al Madhani, Senior Legal Officer at the Secretary General's Office, conducted a session titled ‘Recent Regulatory Frameworks in Governance Legislation of Councils/ Boards and Committees’.