WWF and the UAE

Over its 40-year history, WWF has grown into one of the world's largest and most effective independent organizations dedicated to the conservation of nature. It has reached this status through a constant record of conservation achievements.

Today, WWF operates in some 100 countries, supported by nearly five million people worldwide. Its initials and famous Panda logo have become a powerful rallying point for those who care about the future of the planet and want to help shape it in a positive way.

The organization's success and reputation have been built around a factual, science-based approach to conservation, which focuses on six priority issues: forests, fresh water, oceans and coasts, threatened species, and the insidious threats of toxic chemicals and climate change.

WWF runs some 1,200 projects around the world in any year. Many of WWF's 3,800 staff work at the front line of conservation, helping to make maximum use of the approximately USD 273 million that WWF spends annually on its global conservation work. On-the-ground projects are reinforced with policy work and campaigns, as well as education and local capacity building to help replicate conservation successes.

Saving the world's special places
Recognizing that local conservation problems often have their roots in wider social and economic issues, which influence how people use and consume resources and affect the environment, WWF has adopted an approach which links field and advocacy work to address environmental problems within areas whose boundaries are defined by nature — what WWF terms "ecoregions".

These may be tropical forests or large areas of freshwater wetlands spanning one or more countries, or entire coral reef systems such as Australia's Great Barrier Reef.


The Global 200
WWF has identified some 200 such ecoregions — the "Global 200" — which harbour most of the world's remaining biological diversity, and which must be preserved if we are to leave a living planet for future generations.

Ambitious, broad-scale, and integrated action plans combine environmental, economic, and social actions to conserve or restore the biodiversity of an entire ecoregion. The rich, diverse environment of the UAE includes 2 of these very special places.

WWF in the UAE
WWF's association with the UAE can be traced to the early 1960s when WWF helped save the Arabian oryx from extinction. In February 2001 WWF opened a project office in the UAE, the first in the region. The office is under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, working through the local Emirates Wildlife Society.

Environmental issues in the UAE
The major environmental issues in the UAE can be summarised as one that a fast developing country is facing. The transition between a traditional economy based on subsistence fisheries, oasis agriculture and livestock to a modern, highly urbanised country in less than 30 years is affecting the environment.

Habitat for wildlife has been lost due to urbanisation and industrial development, over fishing and overgrazing are affecting the environment.

The fast urbanisation is bringing problems of waste management and pollution concerns are rising, especially at the proximity of new industrial complexes, but also due to the oil trade.

Ground water is being extracted at a very high pace to satisfy the demand of the green belt plantations and new farming.

The UAE human pressure on global ecosystem (ecological footprint) is the very high (Living Planet 2000 Report) and is largely explained by UAE carbon dioxide emissions and live style.

Many species declined in numbers in recent years due to over-exploitation (hunting and trapping). Many restoration projects are being thought of, some of them already in place. The main problem is the lack of space and suitable habitat for the various species of concern.

Outdoors activities are now starting to affect the environment, especially in fragile ecosystem such as the wadis in the Hajjar mountains where an increasing number of people are using the wadis for recreation. The UAE coastline is also affected by the development of large resorts and industrial complex and several coastal areas of regional importance are being threatened.

Indirectly affecting the environment is the lack of a co-ordinated institutional and legal environmental framework.

WWF Conservation priorities for the UAE
- To increase the number of conservation partners that will implement long term sustainable conservation actions

- To assist local governmental and non-governmental agencies to plan, develop and implement comprehensive conservation programmes

- To promote and assist in establishing a national network of protected areas

- To establish and help implement clear and realistic conservation plans for species of special concern in the UAE

- To aid in the implementation of international conservation initiates

- To promote sustainable life style in the UAE

- To raise awareness of the local population of the sustainable use of natural resources through the education and capacity building

Some Projects under development for the UAE
- Education and capacity building strategy
- CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) enforcement capacity building
- State of the environment report
- Management plan for the Khor Kalba Protected area
- Institutional strengthening of the Environmental Protection and Industrial Commission, Ras Al Khaima


WWF - EWS and UAE taking action today for a living planet tomorrow


©1986, WWF - World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund) ® WWF Registered Trademark owner