Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD) - The UAE pays significant attention to preserving coral reefs, which serve as a safe haven for marine life, providing food and protection. The reefs are also an important resource for supporting fish stocks and protecting beaches from erosion, in addition to supporting commercial fishing and a range of recreational and tourist activities for divers seeking enchanting underwater scenes.
Undoubtedly, the repercussions of climate change have significantly affected the growth and reproduction of coral reefs, which have also been impacted by harmful human practices and activities that threaten this strategic marine resource. A report by the United Nations Environment Programme, published in December 2020, warned that by the end of the century, all the world’s coral reefs could experience “bleaching”, or a change in colour to white, due to the expulsion of the vibrant microscopic algae living in their tissues due to rising temperatures, unless there is a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The report highlighted that the loss of these coral reefs around the world would have severe consequences, not only for marine life, but also for more than a billion people worldwide who directly or indirectly benefit from them. In the same context, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) confirmed that in 2017, Abu Dhabi lost more than 73% of its coral reefs due to bleaching. Most of the world’s coral reefs, including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, which represents more than 50% of the global coral reef area, have been lost.
The UAE’s efforts to protect coral reefs align with the recently launched National Sustainability Campaign, coinciding with preparations for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s COP28 conference, which will be held from November 30 to December 12 at the Expo City Dubai.
The conference will promote the UAE’s sustainable practices to protect coastal and marine ecosystems, which are vital to ensuring the sustainability of marine life in the country, whose coastlines stretch approximately 770 kilometres along the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, excluding the islands.
Proactive Initiatives
The UAE’s initiatives to protect coral reefs began in 2005, when the EAD implemented a programme to monitor the state of coral reefs by conducting a seasonal survey that includes collecting data from 10 stations located at different sites in the emirate. A plan was also developed to manage and conserve coral reefs, to understand the ecosystems of coral reefs and reduce negative impacts and restore degraded areas.
The EAD also collaborated with several academic institutions, including a collaboration with New York University Abu Dhabi to monitor coral reefs, and with Zayed University for laboratory breeding and replanting of coral reefs. In 2006, the first comprehensive map of coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf was completed as part of a research project covering the marine area of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The agency confirmed that through the surveys, it has observed an improvement rate of between 10% and 18% in the condition of coral reefs. Studies conducted by the agency also showed that coral reefs in the waters of Abu Dhabi have adapted to withstand the hottest temperatures in the world, as they host unique types of symbiotic algae that grow inside them and support their tolerance to high temperatures.
Similarly, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, in cooperation and coordination with all relevant authorities at the national level, worked to establish a legislative structure to ensure the protection of coral reefs. The Ministry launched an “experimental” research study project for a digital bio-survey of the UAE’s marine habitats, relying on modern technology and automated survey and measurement devices (underwater robots) for the first time in the region.
This aimed to draw a precise digital map of the marine habitats at the national level and compare its results with the traditional survey systems that rely on divers and traditional manual measurements.
Studies have shown that some types of coral reefs have the ability to adapt to rising temperatures, as they have developed their genes, contributing to an increase in the recovery ability of some species by more than 70%.
A prominent global project for the protection of coral reefs was launched in mid-2021 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra region and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the EAD. The project is the largest coral reef rehabilitation project in the Middle East and includes the cultivation of more than one million coral colonies with the aim of increasing their area in the emirate.
This three-year project is part of a comprehensive plan developed by the agency to conserve this important ecosystem and ensure its sustainability in Abu Dhabi, which alone contains 34 different types of hard coral spread across several regions. By implementing this programme, coral nurseries will be developed to help mitigate the negative impact of natural pressures facing coral reefs due to climate change and rising sea temperatures.
In addition, this will lead to an increase in the coral area and the rehabilitation of damaged areas to preserve the significant heritage, economic, and scientific value of coral reefs. This pioneering step has been globally acclaimed, with the United Nations Environment Programme selecting the EAD’s coastal and marine ecosystem rehabilitation programmes in Abu Dhabi as one of the top ten global initiatives for the restoration and rehabilitation of ecosystems.
This was announced on the sidelines of the high-level meetings of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15). The EAD also received the award for the Best Regional Environmental Agency in the Middle East and Africa for 2023, as part of the sustainability awards launched by Capital Finance International.
Regarding the project’s results, the EAD announced in July this year that it had installed and rehabilitated 350,000 coral colonies in the waters of the Emirate, aiming to cultivate more than one million coral colonies. Additionally, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) launched several programmes and initiatives to install and cultivate coral reefs in the country, in coordination and cooperation with the competent authorities in each Emirate.
The MoCCAE also implemented a research project to cultivate 24 types of coral along the country’s coasts, working on developing and enhancing their adaptability to the impacts of climate change.
Moreover, a map of the geographical distribution of coral reefs along the country’s coastal strip was prepared, identifying 210 locations of coral reefs and recording more than 55 types of hard corals. International cooperation was also a significant aspect of the UAE’s efforts to protect coral reefs.
The UAE announced a grant of $3.5 million to help restore seven coral reef chains in the Florida Keys region of Florida, in cooperation with the United Way of Collier and the Keys organisation, which is implementing the project in cooperation with experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other specialised local and international entities.
This grant is one of the largest investments in this field globally. ADQ Holding, an investment holding company in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, announced a research partnership with the Hong Kong-based company Archireef, which specialises in providing climate solutions and restoring marine ecosystems, with the aim of providing engineering solutions for rehabilitating marine ecosystems in Abu Dhabi, using the latest technologies in 3D printing, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence.
