“A healthy, well-fed population is fundamental to creating a more resilient future:” Razan Al Mubarak for WEF

In an op-ed for the World Economic Forum, Razan Al Mubarak discussed the reality of the current climate crisis and its connection to the food crisis, as well as four strategies to address this challenge. 

Ms. Al Mubarak described the unequal conditions that the current food system has created:

“This broken food system is creating a world in which some 2,750 excess calories are produced per person per day, yet 700 million people face hunger and nearly one in three cannot afford a healthy diet. We cannot tackle climate change without transforming the way we produce and consume food.”

She also shared four solutions – scaling regenerative production; switching to a healthier diet; restoring nature; and reducing food waste – and urged national and local governments, businesses, investors, philanthropists, and civil society to join efforts. 

Ms. Al Mubarak said:

“By acting on these four solutions, we will begin to turn the food system from a driver of climate change into an accelerator of climate action. A healthy, well-fed population is fundamental to creating a healthier, more resilient future for all.”

Read the full op-ed by Razan Al Mubarak on the World Economic Forum.

Razan Al Mubarak: “Twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change can be tackled together”

In an oped for the World Economic Forum Agenda, Razan Al Mubarak makes the case that policies can address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. 

In the op-ed she writes:

"While the United Arab Emirates, which I am proud to call home, is known for its vast deserts, it is also home to large areas of mangrove, seagrass, and salt marsh. Along our 1,300 kilometers of ocean coastline, 300 kilometers are designated as saltmarsh, and growing along it are also 3,000 hectares of mangrove. Not far from shore in the western region of the UAE, you will find more than 5,500 square kilometers of seagrass meadows.

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi has established significant portions of these critical marine ecosystems as protected areas. In fact, Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven emirates in the UAE encompassing almost 90% of its total territory, has set a near-term target of protecting 20% of its marine territory. Protecting these critical ecosystems is as much for the species that depend on them as it is for their contribution to mitigating climate change."

Read Razan’s full op-ed at the World Economic Forum Agenda here.

Razan In World Economic Forum: The essential role of women in biodiversity conservation

In an op-ed published today in the World Economic Forum's Agenda, Razan Al Mubarak discusses why it is essential that women are fully engaged and equally represented in biodiversity conservation — at the grassroots level and in the leadership of governments and NGOs.

Ms. Al Mubarak writes:

“Women in many parts of the world, especially women in indigenous communities, are among the first to experience the devastating impact of [the] extinction pandemic. In fact, they are often nature’s first responders, security detail, and scientists searching for a cure to the crisis engulfing their communities.’ 

Noting that the World Economic Forum predicts that gender equality is still almost a century away at the current rate of change, Ms. Al Mubarak calls on leaders to urgently accelerate the pace now.

“As we implement the UN Convention on Biological Diversity over the next decade, we must prioritize enhancing the participation and engagement of women and girls. This means striving to expand their ranks on all fronts, particularly in regions and cultures where they may still face inequality. The United Arab Emirates, where I am from, has successfully prioritized gender equality in multiple areas. More than half of the country’s university degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math now go to women; four of our primary environmental agencies and organizations are led by women; women comprise half of the Federal National Council, the country's advisory legislature, and one-third of the Cabinet; and according to the World Economic Forum, the UAE ranks second throughout the world in wage equity.”

Read the full oped at the World Economic Forum here