“Carrying on the legacy of the founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, our wise leadership views nature conservation as one of its key priorities and an integral part of the country’s sustainable development strategies,” he said. “The UAE is a signatory to major international conventions on climate and biodiversity. MOCCAE’s membership in IUCN – the oldest and largest international environmental organization – reaffirms our country’s commitment to supporting global conservation efforts and tackling important environmental issues, from climate change to biodiversity loss.”

With almost 1,400 government and NGO members across 185 countries, IUCN is a unique organization, and its knowledge products, such as the Red List of Threatened Species, Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), are global benchmarks for conservation.

“The UAE has a long-standing partnership with IUCN, particularly through our work with its Species Survival Commission (SSC) – the publisher of the Red List,” said Her Excellency Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and a candidate for the post of IUCN President. “IUCN, SSC, and the IUCN Global Species Programme have enjoyed a close working relationship with the UAE for the last 20 years, particularly on issues such as species conservation and re-introduction, as well as Red List assessment and training.”

“IUCN provides a unique opportunity for governments, non-governmental organizations, and indigenous people to converge and address important global environmental issues, including infectious diseases, like the pandemic we are currently experiencing,” she added.

“Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has been a long-time supporter of SSC’s Reintroduction Specialist Group, and our reintroduction of the scimitar-horned oryx in Chad is a conservation success story and an excellent example of what can be achieved through partnerships,” said Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, Chair of the IUCN National Committee, and IUCN Regional Councillor for West Asia.

“The joining of MOCCAE as an IUCN member fills an important gap in memberships from the UAE,” she added. “With the Ministry becoming a state member, we now have a full set of IUCN memberships in the country. IUCN members have access to the Union’s knowledge products, its scientific credibility, as well as unlimited networking opportunities with nearly 15,000 experts worldwide.”

Before the Ministry’s joining, the UAE had four IUCN members – two government entities and two NGOs. These include EAD, the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), Emirates Nature-WWF (EN-WWF), and the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG).