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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
With its endless sunshine and sizzling temperatures, the UAE is the perfect place at which to kickback and enjoy an afternoon by the pool. But a new study suggests that the desire to take a dip consumes significant amounts of water, with more than a billion litres probably evaporating each year from the country’s pools. While the […]
The UAE has launched a nationwide campaign to measure food loss and waste among households, the agriculture sector and businesses in support of a long-term drive to encourage more responsible production and consumption. The National Baseline Study – which is being led by the country’s food loss and waste initiative, Ne’ma – will involve 3,000 participants and will […]
Up to 250,000 deaths from poor air quality could be prevented annually in central and western Europe by 2050 if greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced, say researchers. A study by atmospheric scientists at the University of Leeds has revealed that the number of deaths could be significantly reduced, but only if there is a […]
Vital to dugongs, sea turtles, fish nurseries and carbon storage, seagrass meadows are among the ocean’s most critical – and at the same time most overlooked – ecosystems. Yet, they are disappearing at alarming rates around the world. Scientists from across the region gathered in Abu Dhabi for the first Arabian Seagrass Workshop last week, […]
