Sustainability

    How Abu Dhabi’s ban on single-use plastic bags is saving precious sea turtles
    05 Jun 2025

    Abu Dhabi’s mission to eliminate single-use plastic bags is offering a safer passage to sea turtles navigating the emirate’s waters. The capital introduced its single-use plastic ban on June 1, 2022, in a major push to safeguard the environment and greatly reduce plastic pollution in the sea. The campaign has generated significant dividends, with an […]

    Landmark UAE climate law aims to curb emissions and boost net-zero ambitions
    03 Jun 2025

    A new UAE climate law that requires companies to keep emission levels in check or face fines has been hailed as a “pivotal shift” for the country. Federal Decree-Law No 11 of 2024 on Reduction of the Effects of Climate Change, which came into effect on Friday, mandates emissions reporting and climate adaptation measures across all sectors, from heavy industry […]

    Grow more with less: Al Dahra chief plots global growth from the ground up

    Arnoud Van den Berg, group chief executive of Al Dahra, is a man on a mission: to turn one of the Middle East’s leading agribusinesses into the world’s largest irrigated farming platform. From the company’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Mr Van den Berg is leading a strategy of expansion, technology adoption, and sustainable transformation rooted in the […]

    Environment minister sets out green goals as national agriculture centre and museum are launched

    The Minister of Climate Change and the Environment has set out the UAE’s green vision, supported by the launch of an agriculture hub to help develop a fresh crop of farmers and bolster food security, and a museum celebrating farming history. Dr Amna Al Dahak told The National about moves to champion home-grown produce as the Emirates […]

    Inside the UAE’s plant biobank: the green heart of conservation in the desert

    Tucked away on the outskirts of Al Ain, scientists at the UAE’s Plant Genetic Resource Centre – part seed vault, part futuristic lab – are working to safeguard the botanical future of a nation better known for its desert sands than its native flora. The centre, run by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, is not just a […]

    Urban wilding and climate resilience: How Breda became the EU’s first National Park City
    26 May 2025

    Breda joins just three other cities globally in achieving the status. The creative, cobblestoned Dutch city of Breda has officially become the first National Park City in the European Union. Officially designated by the National Park City Foundation in May, Breda joins London, Adelaide and Chattanooga as the fourth member of a growing global movement […]

    China-UAE Dh120 million AgriTech megaproject to launch in Al Ain

    A Dh120 million AgriTech hub, measuring 100,000 square metres, has been announced for Al Ain. The project is a collaboration between Silal, an Abu Dhabi-based agri-food and technology company, and Shouguang Vegetable Industry Group (SVG), a Chinese firm specialising in vegetable seed breeding and counter-seasonal production. The signing of the deal was witnessed at the Make it […]

    From mangroves to markets: 25 years of conservation by Emirates Nature-WWF
    24 May 2025

    When Laila Mostafa Abdullatif first joined Emirates Nature WWF in 2008, the environmental movement in the UAE was still in its infancy. Now, 16 years later, she leads the organisation as director general, overseeing a mission that’s grown from niche think tank into one of the region’s most influential conservation actors. This year also marks a milestone: […]

    Green policies can restore stability to global trade, UN climate chief says
    23 May 2025

    Global trade is under strain due to the effects of climate change and a failure to act risks worsening food insecurity, economic instability and humanitarian crises, the UN’s senior climate official has warned. Speaking at the 2025 Nature Summit in Panama City on Tuesday, Simon Stiell used the Panama Canal as a potent example of how climate change has affected trade. Once a symbol […]

    Tokenizing the tree of life: Olive blockchain project sprouts in Dubai

    A bold vision to connect ancient agriculture with cutting-edge blockchain technology has been unveiled in the Middle East. At an invite only event held at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Global Olive Corporation (GOC) revealed its plan to tokenize 100 million olive trees worldwide, starting with a million already planted across Georgia. “This is the […]