In a recent piece written on the occasion of the Cultural Summit 2024, held in Abu Dhabi, H. E. Razan Al Mubarak reflected on the role of cultural institutions in shifting public perceptions on climate and nature and boosting actions to address climate change and biodiversity loss.

Ms. Al Mubarak, who is President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28, said the world needed “a sharp increase in renewable energy, heightened energy efficiency, a responsible shift away from fossil fuels and a renewed commitment to preserving nature.”

Despite the progress achieved during the UN climate talks in Dubai last year, more needs to be done, said Ms. Al Mubarak. There is a funding gap of nearly $1 trillion per year for climate and nature preservation and restoration projects. More importantly, however, decision-makers and society as a whole need to expand their focus, considering the well-being of future generations instead of only considering short-term goals.

According to Ms. Al Mubarak, cultural institutions possess “a unique power to inspire change…by fostering a deep connection with people and communities, cultural institutions can bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and action, transforming the way we understand and respond to the environmental crisis,” she wrote.

In addition, cultural institutions can turn “scientific data into compelling narratives that resonate with a broad audience, sparking a collective movement towards sustainability”, she said.

“In this critical moment, we are called to choose the legacy we will leave behind. Will we be remembered as the generation that stood by as our planet suffered, or as the pioneers who rose to meet the greatest challenge of our time? The decision is ours, and the time to act is now.”

Read the full article by Razan Al Mubarak in The National.

On the eve of the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP15) in Montreal, Canada, Razan Al Mubarak penned an op-ed for The National laying out her vision for how the world can halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. 

In the op-ed, Ms. Al Mubarak called on negotiators to use IUCN resources and tools to measure progress on reaching their goal of conserving at least 30 percent of the world’s ecosystems by 2030. She highlighted the value of the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, both as a roadmap for good, equitable area-based conservation and as a benchmark of global excellence: 

“If the goal of 30 percent protection by 2030 is formally adopted in Montreal, governments and private sector stakeholders will need tools to measure their progress and ensure that quality standards are met. Drawing from its vast network of members and experts, IUCN has a long history of providing such tools, including the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, which ensures that area-based conservation delivers outcomes for people and nature. I call on negotiators in Montreal to make use of this invaluable resource.” 

The IUCN president also called for conservation to be equitable and people-centered, underscoring the importance of sustainably managed lands administered by local and indigenous communities:

“Placing an area under conservation cannot mean excluding people who live there, but should empower and benefit them. In most cases, it will go hand in hand with sustainable development and contribute to local livelihoods, and under no circumstances should it ever go against the will of local communities.”

Ms. Al Mubarak also highlighted the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the region’s first-ever protected area to achieve IUCN Green List status in 2019, as a global model for preserving biodiversity:

“The history of this remarkable place, which is home to flamingos and other migratory birds such as the golden eagle, can show us the way to the future. Today, Al Wathba is a natural paradise, teeming with life. But only two decades ago, this wildlife sanctuary was an urban-industrial complex, a diamond in the rough. The model of Al Wathba and the other Green List protected areas in the region can be emulated across the world, if all sectors of society come together with a joint goal.”

Read the full article by Razan Al Mubarak on The National.

This week The National published a feature story about the history, mission and impact of the Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ Fund).

The article highlighted the successes and importance of microfinancing species conservation projects in the field. A return to the successful practices of the golden age of conservation in the 1960s and 1970s, the MBZ Fund recognizes that when we protect one species, we indirectly protect the many others that make up the ecological community. With an estimated 10,000 species lost to extinction each year, at a rate one thousand times faster than any other period in history, Ms. Al Mubarak says the Fund’s work is more critical now than ever before.

Ms. Al Mubarak explained, “without conservationists in the field, we lose our first line of defence against habitat destruction, deforestation, overhunting, poaching and pollution. When we support a conservationist, chances are good that the conservationist will receive funding from other sources as well. Support from the MBZ Fund is often the spark that lights the fire of conservation.”

Launched in 2009 with an initial endowment of $25 million, grants of up to $25,000 are awarded and have now gone to support more than 1,400 species and subspecies. Over 2,150 projects have been awarded in over 160 countries. These have focused on the preservation of animals, plants and fungi. Awards have led to species rediscovery, reintroduction and protection from extinction. 

Read the full article by Daniel Bardsley “How an Abu Dhabi Fund is bringing world’s endangered species back from the brink” in The National.

Some good news has risen from Abu Dhabi with the help of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ Conservation Fund), where Razan Al Mubarak serves as the founding managing director. 

As reported by The National, a Steppe Whimbrel, of which only 100 exist today, was photographed on Saadiyat Island by two members of Emirates Bird Records Committee. This sighting is particularly remarkable because it is the first observation of a juvenile Steppe Whimbrel in the field anywhere in the world.

The whimbrel's identity was confirmed by Gary Allport of BirdLife International, the world's foremost expert on Steppe Whimbrels. In 2018, the MBZ Conservation Fund provided a grant to researchers at the University of Cape Town to support research on Steppe Whimbrel migration.

“Sighting a juvenile Steppe Whimbrel here in Abu Dhabi is magnificent news,” Ms. Al Mubarak told The National. “The fund supports conservation of rare species and subspecies around the world but we never expected one of the rarest of all to turn up on our doorstep. It emphasises the importance of our commitment to maintaining protected areas along bird migration routes, including here in Abu Dhabi.” 

The MBZ Conservation Fund operates on the principle that small actions can make a big difference. The organization provides microgrants to people working directly with endangered species in the field, and has supported more than 2,150 projects in over 160 countries, helping to reduce threats to species, many of which are on the brink of extinction.

Read more about the Steppe Whimbrel project at The National

Environmental leaders have warned that the Arabian Gulf faces a daunting challenge in combating climate change. Razan Al Mubarak, managing director of the Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi, told delegates at the World Ocean summit that the region was particularly vulnerable to increases in global temperatures.

Read the full article in The National.

It's called the “blue marble” for a reason.

Looking at the Earth from space, the enormous swaths of brilliant turquoise and navy blue dominate the picture, yet we focus so much of our attention on the landmasses floating amid all the water. Our oceans are the largest ecosystem on Earth – responsible for generating approximately half of the oxygen in the atmosphere and holding approximately 97 per cent of the water on our entire planet.

They are vital to the existence of all species including us.

However, our oceans are under threat. Activities such as mass over-fishing, unprecedented plastic pollution, widespread habitat destruction, climate change, and coastline overpopulation are disrupting food chains, damaging vital marine ecosystems irreparably, and causing our oceans to suffer. What's more, unlike sovereign countries, which abide within set rules of jurisdiction, the oceans have no set boundaries.

As such, the threat to our oceans requires a cross-country, collaborated solution. No one nation can address this problem on its own. Only global partnerships can underscore our collective commitment towards the protection and preservation of local marine biodiversity, equitable governance of coastal activities, and sustainable management of our marine resources.

The World Ocean Summit, the sixth of which was held in Abu Dhabi in March 2019, is essential in promoting dialogue with key stakeholders. On behalf of Abu Dhabi Government, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development were proud to be bringing this critical conversation to the Middle East for the very first time.

Despite being a desert nation, the sea has always been vital to Abu Dhabi's history and culture. Located at the geographical epicentre of global trade routes, with one of the most populous coastal communities in the region, Abu Dhabi and the UAE enjoy a rich tradition of trading, seafaring, pearling, shipbuilding, fishing, along with a growing tourism sector.

Preserving our waters is of upmost importance, with the UAE government making crucial investments in blue technology and aquaculture, and implementing major conservation initiatives such as our Marine Water Quality programme, in which we use a network of 22 monitoring stations to collect data to protect public health.

Later in 2019, the UAE will assume presidency of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) until 2022 for the first time since becoming a member in 1999. Organisations such as IORA illustrate the importance of regions coming together to share maritime environmental responsibilities.

The governments of Abu Dhabi and the UAE are proud of its marine conservation work so far, but saving our oceans is a responsibility shared by us all.

By building bridges that connect us, we can come together as one and effect real change. It is in everyone's best interest to preserve our oceans and ensure that the “blue marble” remains blue.

Read the entire op-ed on The National here.