Saturday 27 / July / 2024
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP), will participate on Monday, along with its counterparts in countries around the world in celebrating World Metrology Day, which falls on May 20 each year.
This year's celebration comes under the theme ‘Measuring Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.’ Imad bin Khamis Al Shukaili – Director General of the Directorate General of Standards and Metrology at the MoCIIP, stated: "The choice of this year's theme 'Measuring Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow' emphasises the significance of metrology - the science of measurement of dimensions and quantities - as a key factor in efforts to build a sustainable future.
It also plays a crucial role in providing accurate data and information that contribute to a better understanding of the environmental, economic, and social impacts of human activities.
Reducing waste and loss in industrial processes and products
Al Shukaili elaborated on the crucial reasons why metrology is essential for building a sustainable future.
It aids in enhancing the efficiency of natural resource utilisation, such as water, energy, and raw materials, through the application of precise measurement and monitoring techniques to identify areas for improvement.
Metrology also contributes to reducing waste and losses in industrial processes and products by improving accuracy and efficiency in measurements and standards.
This, in turn, minimises resource and energy consumption while decreasing waste production.
Fostering innovation and development
Al Shukaili emphasised that prioritising metrology ensures the quality and safety of products and services by providing accurate and reliable measurements for materials and processes, thus reducing pollution and accidents, improving public health and the environment.
Metrology can also foster innovation and development across various fields, including the development of new techniques for environmental data measurement and the creation of more sustainable and efficient products and services.
It contributes to guiding decisions and policies towards sustainability by offering precise data and information that aid in understanding the environmental and economic impacts of human activities and in developing strategies to mitigate them.
Towards sustainability
He highlighted that the MoCIIP aims, through the DGSM, to enhance the infrastructure of metrology, verify the accuracy of new measurement technologies at any level of advancement, and participate in inter comparisons in coordination with the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.
This ensures that measurement results are reliable and credible, meeting international standards and the needs of the Sultanate of Oman.
Additionally, to enforce the Metrology and Standards Law, the DGSM oversees most of the weighing and measuring devices subject to legal control, coordinating with governmental entities and institutions to verify devices under legal control, such as medical measuring devices, water and energy meters, fuel pumps, prepackaged containers, trade scales, jeweler scales, and other devices.
It's worth mentioning that World Metrology Day is an annual celebration on the signing of the Treaty of the Metre on May 20, 1875, by representatives from seventeen countries.
This convention serves as a framework for global cooperation in the field of measurement (metrology) and its industrial, commercial, and societal applications.
The goal of the Meter Convention is to standardize measurement worldwide, a goal that remains as relevant today as it was in 1875.
Oman joined the Meter Convention in 2013, and all member states actively participate in the activities and events of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), established under this convention.
