UAE- Dubai: Her Excellency Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak led a delegation from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment to represent the UAE at the UN Biodiversity COP16, in the Colombian city of Cali. The Conference of Parties which takes place from October 21 to November 1, 2024, marks two years of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework which sets out an ambitious pathway to reach the global vision of a world living in harmony with nature by 2050.

Speaking about the importance of COP16 and the UAE’s commitment to biodiversity, Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak said: “Biodiversity runs through every element of our climate action. In the UAE, we have made significant progress in protecting our biodiversity. We have adopted a 360-degree, whole of society approach from enacting legislation and monitoring its implementation, establishing and expanding protected areas as well as protecting, breeding and reintroducing endangered species into their natural habitats.”

Her Excellency participated in an Informal Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Local Governments for Biodiversity of the Convention on Biological Diversity. In her speech, HE Dr. Amna Al Dahak highlighted the UAE’s efforts in protecting and boosting biodiversity and called upon member states to strengthen commitment to the Global Biodiversity Framework and stressed the critical need for driving action through collaboration.

Highlighting the Mangrove Alliance for Climate, Her Excellency underscored the vital role of collaboration and joint work in addressing climate challenges. She also spoke extensively about the UAE’s efforts on the domestic front such as the nation’s pledge to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030 and the Plant the Emirates National Programme.

In another engagement, Her Excellency Dr. Amna Al Dahak took part in an intervention about Advancing the Marine Conservation Breakthroughs: Connecting Global Action to Scale Nature-Based Solutions.  

Highlighting the UAE’s commitment to marine conservation, Her Excellency shared insights about the policy frameworks, national strategies, and some of the innovative financing mechanisms that the nation was adopting to boost life under water. She reiterated the need for strengthening global cooperation in protecting oceans and marine ecosystems.

HE spoke about the UAE’s progress in achieving the Marine Conservation Breakthrough targets, and the nation’s efforts in enhancing marine biodiversity as part of its NDCs and NBSAPs.

Her Excellency Dr. Al Dahak also participated in the One Water Summit: Ministerial Event on Freshwater Ecosystems. Speaking in a panel discussion, HE addressed the question about the centrality of freshwater in the Global Biodiversity Framework’s implementation.

Her excellency spoke extensively about the COP28 Water Agenda and its focus on conserving and restoring freshwater ecosystems; enhancing urban water resilience, and bolstering water-resilient food systems. She also highlighted the Freshwater Challenge, the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative and the UAE’s commitment of $150 million in new funding for water security solutions in fragile and vulnerable communities.

HE Dr. Al Dahak also shed light on the UAE’s Water Security Strategy and how the nation was leading the charge in desalination, wastewater treatment, and smart irrigation systems. She underscored the importance of collaborative work to unlock finance and fostering innovative solutions are crucial to addressing global water issues.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment participated in several engagements at COP16 to showcase the UAE’s National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and the nation’s progress in achieving its biodiversity goals in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The MOCCAE delegation highlighted the UAE’s national achievements in identifying Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and showcased unique sites that contribute significantly to both global and regional conservation efforts. They shared insights into the nation’s freshwater ecosystems conservation initiatives, emphasizing collaborative efforts across international agreements and underscoring the essential role of sustainable water management in regional biodiversity resilience.

As part of the Freshwater Challenge, the UAE joined global partners in a commitment to restore freshwater ecosystems and, wetlands, and presented its ambitious freshwater ecosystem restoration goals, highlighting the upcoming 2026 UN Water Conference.

COP16 saw significant progress on the mangrove front as well. The second technical meeting of the UAE’s Mangroves Alliance for Climate (MAC) partnership with Indonesia was held in Colombia on October 23.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment chaired the technical meeting, during which a detailed overview of the proposed Mangrove Alliance for Climate Strategy 2031 was presented to MAC members. The participants highlighted key objectives of the strategy and progress to date. Feedback was sought from members to help shape the final document, which will be presented during COP29.

The meeting featured interventions from Bahrain, Chile, France, Oman, Maldives, Philippines, Japan, and the UK. Each discussed their own challenges and priorities, making recommendations for enhanced support to drive mangrove conservation.

The UAE shared engagement strategies, including surveys, webinars, workshops, and direct communication with the MAC secretariat, to enhance participation leading up to COP29.

These participations underscored the UAE’s dedication to climate resilience, actionable conservation targets, and the nation’s commitment to fostering peer-to-peer learning on protection of natural ecosystems.