'UAE's Mars mission to face sustainability challenges'

Abu Dhabi - Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, was speaking at a ministerial session.

The UAE's Mars mission will face challenges of sustainability similar to those that needs to be tackled in the country, a minister said on Wednesday during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2019.
Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, was speaking at a ministerial session titled "How Investment in Science Drives the UAE's Long-Term Sustainable Development."
"The challenges we must overcome in space - particularly those that come with building a colony on Mars - mimic the challenges we face here in the UAE, such as water scarcity, food security, and solar power," Al Falasi said.
"That is what makes sustainability in space, where resources are incredibly scarce, so important. Any progress we make in finding solutions for sustainability in space will undoubtedly be applicable here in the UAE."
The minister said investing in the space sector, especially space exploration programmes, has positive implications for the educational system in the UAE, as it increases school students' passion for STEM disciplines, as well as inspiring higher education students to pursue academic achievement with postgraduate studies.
"The UAE's ambition to have a permanent settlement on Mars by 2117 has created a long-term objective that will encourage generations of Emiratis to take up science disciplines, in the process inculcating a culture of advanced knowledge, innovation and learning that will drive the UAE's sustainable development," he said.
Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mehairi, Minister of State for Food Security, said sustainability is not an added feature or an option, but "it should be at the core of any development plans and projects".
She said the UAE is not going to space for the sake of going to space. "We are using this mission and project to conduct research that would help address the challenges we are facing here."
She stressed that the areas that have been selected to conduct research in mirror the difficulties that face the UAE and countries with similar arid climates.
"The UAE Advanced Science Agenda 2031 focuses on such vital sectors as sustainable energy, water and food security, health and resource sustainability, and others. Plans and projects in each of these sectors have already begun to materialise: If we look at health, for example, the UAE is on the verge of popularising personalised medicine that is based on each patient's DNA. This follows extensive and successful efforts to map out the national genome."
"Agriculture is the world's thirstiest industry, accounting for approximately 72 per cent of total freshwater consumption. With the UAE having one of the world's most arid climates, it is imperative that we establish new and innovative ways to produce food that minimises the use of water. It is increasingly clear that technology has a huge role to play in achieving this."
anjana@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi