Muscat – The Environment Authority (EA) on Sunday unveiled its achievements for 2022 while celebrating the Oman Environment Day, which falls on January 8.

H E Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, chairman of EA, said, “The authority has prepared a plan to register six new nature reserves in Oman. The sites will be subject to evaluation by the concerned authorities before any announcement.”

He explained that there is a roadmap for the green economy that is being implemented by the authority with the funding from Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) – in strategic partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme.

Talking about the initial indications of the national campaign to combat invasive birds, he confirmed that about 25,000 invasive birds have been eliminated, and there is a decline in their numbers.

According to Amri, the authority has implemented a set of environmental projects and initiatives in Oman across various sectors in accordance with the agreements signed by the sultanate with international organisations.

EA has also formed a committee to study and provide environmental data to international organisations such as the United Nations and publications that are interested in publishing environmental data.

Dr Mohammed Majid al Kasbi, director of the Chemicals and Waste Management Department at EA, said, “The authority disposed of 86 tonnes of pesticides, and installed 16 devices to monitor persistent organic pollutants.”

He pointed out that the authority had prepared a project to study the level of mercury in the environment, its compounds and wastes in the sultanate.

“It also details several points such as limiting its import, and its emissions.”

Ahmed bin Saeed al Shukaili, director of the Marine Environment Conservation Department at EA, informed that the authority is preparing an action plan for the protection and conservation of sea turtles that includes six goals to be achieved through 14 programmes.

The authority announced four investment opportunities in nature reserves – the Khor Taqah Nature Reserve, the Jabal Akhdar Landscape Reserve, the Al Hajar Starlight Reserve, and Al Saleel Natural Park. “The projects are being analysed and evaluated,” he added.

The authority confirmed that it launched several projects and initiatives to save and rehabilitate wildlife; surveyed 236 coastal wetlands, and collected data on coral reefs in 11 locations in Musandam governorate.

EA said it succeeded in planting more than 2mn trees (2,084,698), sowing more than 2.5mn seeds (2,542,250), and expanding the authority’s nurseries to 11, as part of the national initiative to plant 10mn trees.