UAE's particular environment – hot and dry – greatly limits the country's biodiversity richness.

UAE has 3 major varieties of ecosystem:

1) desert ecosystem (80% of the country's area)

2) mountain ecosystem (2.6% of the country's area)

and

3) coastal and marine ecosystem (2390 km of which belong to the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman).

However, being a meeting point between the Indo-Asian and Afro-European regions, it has relatively rich fauna and flora, with 731 plant species, 48 mammal species, 440 bird species, 40 varieties of coral reefs, 500 fish species, 4 turtle species and many marine mammal species, 109 varieties of algae, 67 amphibian and reptile species. Invertebrates are very prolific in the tidal rocky zone and especially in creeks (2636 species have been identified in addition to 15 varieties of spiders). In 2013, the number of declared protected areas reached 22, covering 6841 km2, including 5 areas listed under the Ramsar Convention. 

Biodiversity protection, such as the conservation of the endangered Arab Falcon and the protection of camel diversity, plays an important role in UAE's cultural legacy. Fisheries and tourism represent important parts of the UAE economy these services aim to investigate the opportunities in building a local greener Emirate through a better understanding of carbon and coastal ecosystem services and their potential contribution to climate change mitigation efforts.

Measures to Enhance Implementation of the Convention

The new (and first) Biodiversity Strategy of the United Arab Emirates (2014-2021) includes a series of main orientations and national goals in line with the 'Emirates vision 2021' in addition to the Emirates' Strategy for Green Development, the National Strategy for Coastal and Marine Environment, the Biosafety Strategy and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The main orientations focus on: 1) mainstreaming biodiversity in all economic and social sectors 2) reinforcement of knowledge sharing and capacity building for upgrading and addressing biodiversity management 3) improvement of biodiversity status through habitat protection, genetic diversity and restoration of degraded ecosystems 4) reducing pressure on marine and terrestrial biodiversity and 5) enhancing regional and international cooperation on biodiversity cross-cutting issues. Twenty-one national targets with action-driven and outcome-oriented measures, grouped under 5 thematic areas, have been set out. The new biodiversity strategy includes particular engagements on capacity building, communication and public awareness, resource mobilization, and on a national knowledge sharing platform in line with the CHM of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Progress on the implementation of the strategy and action plan will be monitored and assessed and findings will be reported by representatives from each Emirate.

Actions taken to achieve the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets

According to national records, forest areas increased from 245 ha in 1990 to 317 ha in 2010, and protected areas are increasingly implemented in line with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Significant progress in implementing some conservation activities, particularly national targets, related to the reduction of pressure on biodiversity. For instance, UAE uses modern methods of wastewater treatment in more than 60 facilities to combine advanced science and engineering in the deployment of efficient technologies to treat large volumes of wastewater on a continuous basis.

Support mechanisms for national implementation (legislation, funding, capacity-building, coordination, mainstreaming, etc.)

Huge efforts are paid by the UAE to conserve biodiversity. Several official decrees have been produced locally or at the federal level by the UAE to conserve biodiversity and its habitats. In addition, the UAE has ratified biodiversity and environment-related international conventions and signed regional agreements that enhance and conserve biodiversity. 

Significant progress has been made with regard to furthering CBD implementation in response to the objectives set out by 'Emirates vision 2021'. It incorporates instruments such as: 

• Various legislative acts adopted by the UAE for the conservation of biodiversity. 

• Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Sectoral and Cross-Sectoral Strategies. 

• Implementing the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative. 

• Execution of many biodiversity education and awareness programmes. 

 

Efforts of the UAE in Biodiversity Conservation

 

Despite being regarded as an unfertile desert, the UAE like most of the other GCC countries hosts a unique and remarkably adapted fauna and flora. Several causes are threatening the biodiversity in the UAE. These include natural coastal development and urbanization, as well as over-exploitation of natural resources (over-fishing, over-hunting, overgrazing and water extraction) that are linked with the tremendous population increase and changes in lifestyle. Over the last few decades, the UAE has lost most of its big fauna and several others are at the edge of extinction. Huge efforts are paid by the UAE to conserve biodiversity.

Several official decrees have been produced locally or at federal level by the UAE since its creation in 1971 to conserve biodiversity and its habitats.

 In addition, like most countries, the UAE has ratified biodiversity and environment related international conventions and signed regional agreements that enhance and conserve biodiversity.

Fifteen protected areas have been declared officially in the UAE.

EWS-WWF-Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF

EWS-WWF was born out of a need to protect biodiversity in key sites across the emirates including species and ecosystems of concern in the region raise awareness on the high UAE Ecological Footprint and contribute to policy and institutional framework to address environmental issues.

Protecting vulnerable species

Outside of the big cities and the hustle-bustle of the UAE's urban areas lie a variety of different unique and delicate ecosystems, bursting with biodiversity such as plants, mammals, fish and birds. Being a coastal country, our oceans also hold valuable life forms that are part of the UAE's history and heritage. Species work  at EWS-WWF aims to understand the lives, threats and needs of these vulnerable/endangered species in the mountains and at sea, in hope of increasing conservation efforts towards protecting them.

 

Marine Turtle Conservation Project :  4 years. 4 countries. 75 tagged turtles. One shared vision: a safer, healthier future for marine turtles in our region.

Marine turtles are a key species in the marine ecosystem, yet the Hawksbill turtle is listed critically endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and adequate nesting sites are a rarity due to man-made threats.

Marine turtle populations around the globe are threatened with extinction, having been heavily over-harvested and having their habitat increasingly destroyed by mankind. With increased coastal development, urbanisation and industrialisation, the global population of marine turtles is in decline. Nowadays, critical measures are urgently needed to safeguard the few remaining turtle nesting, feeding and breeding sites on beaches and at sea as well as their migratory pathways.

Two out of the seven species of marine turtles, the Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), occur in Gulf waters. Worldwide, the IUCN Red List (IUCN 2008) lists the Hawksbill turtle as critically endangered and the green turtle as endangered. At the local and regional level the stocks of these species are threatened and the number of foraging habitats and nesting grounds are continually declining.

As little was known on turtle migration patterns or feeding grounds, the project 'Marine Turtle Conservation' was created . It started in 2010 & wrapped up in November 2014. To date, it is the largest initiative in the region to understand marine turtle behavior and conservation needs in the Arabian Gulf. This was done by gathering data from 75 Hawksbill turtles tagged with satellite transmitters, sending a signal every time they surfaced to breathe.

The research identified ITAs in waters belonging to UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran. Also, a curious trend was observed for the first time in science: turtles migrating to cooler waters during the summer, and returning back to their original grounds in autumn – a possible consequence of rising sea temperatures due to climate change. The research also identified pollution, by-catch and coastal development as three of the most significant potential threats to marine turtles.

objectives of Marine Turtle Conservation Project

Raise the awareness of marine turtle conservation needs at regional levels

Understand the post-nesting migrations and biology of marine turtles using satellite tracking.

Identify the foraging grounds of endangered marine turtles and linkages between nesting and feeding population assemblages.

Share tracking data and findings to relevant authorities and contribute to the development of a regional marine turtle conservation plan

Integrate these conservation initiatives within international conservation agreements on marine turtles and national programmes.

 

Home to delicate ecosystems and endangered species, Wadi Wurayah is truly a treasure to the region. It is one of the few areas in the UAE that is bursting with unique biodiversity in flora and fauna, as well as having intact freshwater resources. The area also holds significant cultural and historical importance, with archeological sites discovered in the wadi dating as far back as 300 BC. 

However in spite of this decorated history, Wadi Wurayah today faces many threats. Urbanisation, overexploitation of water resources, overgrazing of domestic animals, poaching, hunting and habitat degradation through human activities such as littering and lighting fires all take a toll on this fragile but precious habitat that is home to some of the country's most fascinating species.

Wadi Wurayah in Fujairah was officially declared the first Mountain Protected Area on March 16, 2009

In 2013, EWS-WWF was appointed by the Fujairah Government to spearhead the planning and implementation of the Wadi Wurayah National Park. Through Wadi Wurayah National Park, government aims to restore and sustainably manage this freshwater ecosystem and its precious resources, while continually expanding its knowledge through research in order to better understand the area and the species that reside within it. In doing so, it ensures that:

The rich biodiversity of the area is protected

The area is viable for environmental services and socio-economic opportunities

The area serves as an example for freshwater management Capacity-building for managing protected areas is increased in government institutions

 

Safeguarding precious habitats

Wildlife coexists with and depends on many factors and resources in close proximity to it, such as plants, other animals and water sources. All these different things can make up a habitat: the natural environment where species live. The UAE has a handful of sites where freshwater catchments are present, and where delicate ecosystems carefully support all kinds of species, from dragonflies to fish as well as endangered mammals. Some of these sites also have historical and cultural significance, as more and more evidence shows that these precious habitats have supported entire communities.UAE government is doing its part to ensure that these habitats and their inhabitants are properly managed, protected and conserved.

 

Sources :

http://uae.panda.org/what_we_do/conserving_biodiversity/

https://www.bibalex.org/cssp/Papers/Attachments/Abstract-Dr._Ali_El-Keblawy.pdf

https://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395281078178.html

www.uaeinteract.com