Environment

    Abu Dhabi launches 25-year climate action plan in ‘defining moment’ for emirate
    25 Jul 2025

    Abu Dhabi on Wednesday set out a 25-year action plan to address the growing threat of climate change and protect the emirate’s precious natural resources for future generations. The comprehensive strategy, announced by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, will focus on bolstering the “highly vulnerable” environmental systems of groundwater, soil and biodiversity, which are viewed as critical to human health, […]

    Environment Minister visits date palm forest in China as ties grow

    The UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment has hailed the country’s growing ties with China after seeing how a thriving date palm partnership is bearing fruit on an overseas trip to the country. Dr Amna Al Dahak visited the UAE-China Friendship Forest of Date Palm in Wenchang City, on the southern island province of Hainan, where an ambitious […]

    Climate is changing fast—and forests are 200 years behind
    07 Jul 2025

    Ecologists are concerned that forest ecosystems will not keep pace with a rapidly changing climate, failing to remain healthy and productive. Before the rapid climate change of the past century, tree populations in the Northern Hemisphere adapted to colder and warmer periods over thousands of years. During onsets of Ice Ages, tree populations migrated south, […]

    UAE trials waste scheme to reduce amount of phones and laptops in landfills
    06 Jul 2025

    Mobile phone and laptop owners in the UAE will soon be able to get money when they hand their devices in for recycling rather than throwing them away. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has launched a trial project with Tadweer Group that will see manufacturers and producers of electronic devices paying a fee to make […]

    Rainforest deaths are surging and scientists just found the shocking cause
    05 Jul 2025

    Trees in tropical forests are dying at an increased rate, with consequences for biodiversity, carbon storage, and the global climate. While deforestation is the primary cause of forest loss, intact forests are also experiencing a rise in tree death. Drought, higher temperatures, and fires have been the leading suspects, but a new paper led by […]

    Deposit, drink, return: Lisbon is the first European capital with a citywide reusable cup scheme

    The system could remove thousands of discarded cups from Lisbon’s public spaces every night. Every night, around 25,000 cups are used in Lisbon’s entertainment areas. Although many cups are sold as “reusable”, until now there was no system in place to ensure the effective collection, cleaning and recirculation of these containers. Through a new citywide […]

    UAE turtle population rises, but plastic threat remains

    The UAE’s turtle population has steadily increased in recent years, with the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi reporting a 30 per cent increase in numbers compared with a decade ago. But ingesting plastic remains a key issue, with reports this year that discarded plastic bags have caused some turtles to lose their flippers. While plastic pollution is still a major issue […]

    Satellites show where forests are being lost – now AI is helping researchers pinpoint why
    14 Jun 2025

    The new data provides a more detailed picture than ever before on the local, regional and global causes of tree cover loss. Humans are used to thinking of trees as a reusable resource, but new analysis suggests that a third of all forest loss this century is irreversible. The report from the World Resources Institute […]

    World watches as national climate goals loom over Cop30
    13 Jun 2025

    Leading figures have sounded the alarm as they gathered in the UAE ahead of the next major round of UN climate talks at Cop30, in Brazil. Speaking at an event in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Majid Al Suwaidi, chief of climate investment vehicle, Alterra, warned that the talks are up against “significant challenges”. “To date, only 15 […]

    The UAE can model a vision of social cohesion that includes its bond with the natural world
    11 Jun 2025

    Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak is president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for the leadership team of Cop28 UAE Community is not merely about human connections – it is about the intricate web of relationships that sustain us all. During the UAE’s 2025 Year of Community, we […]