Abu Dhabi spotlights global marine conservation leadership at UN sustainable development forum

ABU DHABI (WAM)

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) highlighted Abu Dhabi’s global leadership in marine conservation during the 2025 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), held at the UN headquarters in New York from July 14 to 23.

Participating as part of the UAE’s official delegation, Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of EAD and Vice Chair of the Global Council on SDG14, took part in high-level sessions advancing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water. The forum also featured collaboration with the UAE Government Experience Exchange Office and the UAE SDG Secretariat.

Dr. Al Dhaheri opened the UAE Exhibition at the forum, presenting Abu Dhabi’s contributions to marine restoration, such as the Mangrove Alliance for Climate and preparations for the IUCN World Conservation Congress, set to take place in Abu Dhabi in October.

In her keynote at the SDG14 plenary, Dr. Al Dhaheri outlined Abu Dhabi’s achievements in blue carbon restoration, sustainable fisheries, and marine biodiversity, noting efforts to protect the world’s second-largest dugong population and monitor over 7,900 sea turtles. She also highlighted a rise in the Sustainable Exploitation Index from 8.9 percent in 2018 to 97.4 percent by the end of 2024, driven by data-led policy reforms.

During the UAE-led ministerial roundtable, “Scaling What Works,” Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Chairman of the UAE National Committee on SDGs and Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, launched the 2025 edition of the SDGs 2045 Report, which presents the UAE’s long-term vision aligned with the UN’s Pact for the Future.

At the Rapid-Fire Solutions Showcase, Dr. Al Dhaheri stressed the importance of local leadership, long-term investment, and cross-sectoral partnerships, stating, “To truly scale what works, we must fund what works.”

She also chaired the SDG14 Ministerial Roundtable during the GEEP Global Retreat, hosted at the UAE Mission to the UN. The session brought together senior figures from UN agencies and academia to explore sustainable marine governance. She presented findings from the 2022 Jaywun Expedition, fisheries assessments, and genetic research on commercial species.

Dr. Al Dhaheri concluded by emphasising Abu Dhabi’s role as a global model for reversing marine degradation, citing coral rehabilitation and the return of rare species such as the white-spotted grouper.

She also engaged in bilateral meetings, including with the Food and Agriculture Organization and New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, to explore joint action on biodiversity, food systems, and urban resilience.

EAD’s participation reinforced Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for nature-based solutions and sustainability diplomacy, ahead of the IUCN Congress later this year.