Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan is a social entrepreneur focused on sustainability, gender equality and international development
December 18, 2022
In Montreal, there has been a lot of buzz around Cop15, a UN conference being hosted in the city that is about protecting and restoring biodiversity. This Conference of Parties (Cop) is different from the more notable one on climate change, which the UAE will be hosting in 2023, though the challenges facing climate change and biodiversity are linked.
Approximately one eighth of all plant and animal species are threatened with extinction for myriad man-made reasons that range from the over-exploitation of resources to deforestation. And as a single species perishes, the web of life we rely on unravels.
Biodiversity is the abundant mix of flora and fauna that make up our planet’s ecosystems. These ecosystems support our own species in many ways. Plants purify the air we breathe and filter water; bees are responsible for a quarter of our food supply, and $577 billion in crops; and even bacteria are important in helping to break down waste. We take many of the benefits we receive from biodiversity for granted. One economist who tried to put a price on it estimated it to be $33 trillion. We share the same atmosphere, so the world needs to unite to address these challenges for humanity’s future.
The organisers of Cop15, which ends on Monday, are hoping to get countries on board with committing to protect 30 per cent of our land and oceans by 2030. As in all these major conferences, in which all the world’s countries come together, the questions nearly always go back to finance: how do we protect countries’ biodiversity hotspots, such as the Amazon, without impacting the economy or asking those countries to carry the burden for other nations? One of the Cop15’s goals is to create a Global Biodiversity Framework, which would be an important international agreement.
People plant mangroves during an event organised by Companies for Good on Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi. All photos: Vidhyaa Chandramohan
To fight climate change, the UAE is carrying out projects such as reducing emissions and planting mangroves.
Mangroves, trees that survive in salty water, play an important part in the ecosystem.
By 2030, the UAE intends to plant 100 million mangroves.
Visitors at Jubail Mangrove Park. Schools and businesses are planting saplings as part of the UAE's campaign.
Volunteers during a mangrove clean-up organised by the World Wildlife Fund and Seahawk Abu Dhabi.
Young mangroves can be damaged by plastic and other waste dumped into the sea.
Volunteers sort rubbish gathered during a clean-up of mangroves in Abu Dhabi.
After collecting debris from the mangroves, volunteers use an app to track their progress.
The grey mangrove is the species that grows extensively in UAE.
Visitors enjoy an evening paddle by the mangroves and a sunset view of Abu Dhabi.
Walking around the exhibition centre, I saw signs that pointed towards humans living in harmony with nature by 2050. It seemed like most societies have such a long way to go. Research has shown that indigenous people – who, although few in number, consist of 5 per cent of the world’s population – protect and conserve 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity.
In the distance, I spotted a large piece of wood approximately a metre-and-a-half in diameter. It was called “the cookie”. Individuals were standing around it, listening to its origin story. It came from a forest in British Columbia, where many of the trees are a thousand years old. This one was 750. Ninety-seven per cent of the old-growth forest in British Columbia has been destroyed.
Coral reefs are important to life, too – particularly marine life. I recently went diving off the coast of my home city, Abu Dhabi, and witnessed first-hand the effects of climate change on our corals. On one of the corals I saw, which looked like a brain, one side was dead while the other was fighting to survive.
I am proud of the coral conservation work done in the UAE to fight this challenge, especially in Abu Dhabi. At Cop15, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi’s coastal and marine preservation programmes were ranked among the top 10 globally by the UN Environment Programme. Among their many activities, they have cultivated more than a million coral reef colonies. All the people working for nature are guardians of our future. They work tirelessly for our planet, and I am thankful for everything they do.
The time for strategic leadership and a refreshed vision is now. Joint actions from governments, businesses and the finance community are urgently required to reimagine our relationship with nature and to catalyse regeneration – especially to meet the target of conserving 30 per cent of land and marine ecosystems by 2030. As we go through various scientific reports and especially the findings presented by various global entities on nature and biodiversity, we soon realise that it is imperative for these groups to tackle the nature and climate crisis collaboratively and holistically. And we have seen during the pandemic how nature can thrive if we give it the space to regenerate.
An indigenous climate activist protesting during Cop15. AFP
It would be prudent to view nature and climate crises as two sides of the same coin and combine our net-zero strategies to work in tandem with protecting nature. This approach can be further developed by combining climate and nature-linked losses to existing climate change risks. Furthermore, it is vital that nature is placed at the centre of policy and regulations by governments, to empower and enable business and finance to drive activities aligned with nature restoration and regeneration and act to end the over-exploitation of nature, for example, through the provision of harmful subsidies.
It is also important that dialogues on nature and biodiversity must be facilitated across business and finance to adopt a regenerative model for nature. At the same time, financial institutions should integrate nature into financial decision making to embed relevant risks and ultimately support the transformation of the economy.
Lastly, as a society we must wake up to the truth of the various challenges we are experiencing regarding nature and biodiversity loss, and come together as individuals and as nations to take deliberate steps towards addressing the same.
With all the great work being done in the UAE and globally, there is a reason to be hopeful, but time is not on our side.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah 5.10pm: Continous 5.45pm: Raging Torrent 6.20pm: West Acre 7pm: Flood Zone 7.40pm: Straight No Chaser 8.15pm: Romantic Warrior 8.50pm: Calandogan 9.30pm: Forever Young
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened. He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia. Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”. Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm
Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
The Bio
Ram Buxani earned a salary of 125 rupees per month in 1959
Indian currency was then legal tender in the Trucial States.
He received the wages plus food, accommodation, a haircut and cinema ticket twice a month and actuals for shaving and laundry expenses
Buxani followed in his father’s footsteps when he applied for a job overseas
His father Jivat Ram worked in general merchandize store in Gibraltar and the Canary Islands in the early 1930s
Buxani grew the UAE business over several sectors from retail to financial services but is attached to the original textile business
He talks in detail about natural fibres, the texture of cloth, mirrorwork and embroidery
Buxani lives by a simple philosophy – do good to all
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
