The recently concluded Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, held in Dubai, provided a welcome focus on one of the most endangered types of habitat in the world. Wetlands − whether inland rivers and lakes, coastal marshes and mudflats or offshore islands and their surrounding waters − are important not just for wildlife and plants, but also for the way in which they contribute to the global ecosystem and, therefore, to the quality of human life.
The Convention, established in 1971, seeks to protect key areas from the damaging impact of modern development. That's of particular significance here in the Emirates. Not only do we have no permanent rivers, low rainfall and an arid climate, but the rapid pace of development means that many of our natural wetlands have succumbed to the onward march of land reclamation, construction and associated factors.
Around the world, there are now more than 2,200 designated Ramsar Sites, eight of which are in the UAE. These include marine and island sites, such as Sharjah's Sir Bu Nair island and the Bul Syayeef complex of islets, mangroves and lagoons west of Abu Dhabi, as well as coastal creeks like Dubai's Ras Al Khor and Ajman's Al Zorah. Inland, the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve and the Wadi Wurayah National Park in Fujairah's mountains provide more diversity, both of habitat and of the species of flora and fauna to be found within them.
Each has its own particular significance. Wadi Wurayah is the home for several of our rarest mammals and birds, including the crested porcupine and the spotted eagle-owl. Al Wathba and Bul Syayeef host the only breeding colonies of greater flamingoes in Arabia. Khor Kalba in Sharjah has breeding turtles and the only known site for one of our rarest lizards and is home to nearly all of the world's population of a sub-species of the white-collared kingfisher. The recently recognised Jebel Ali Wetland Sanctuary in Dubai provides a home for more than 500 marine species, including the endangered mottled eagle ray, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, endangered green turtles and vulnerable dugongs.
All of these sites are now protected for the future, even if, as is the case with Ras Al Khor and Al Zorah, the wetlands are much smaller now than they used to be.
We can, and should, celebrate the conservation of these areas.
Much of the UAE’s wetlands, however, particularly in coastal areas, have now been irretrievably lost, with a consequent negative impact on the country’s biodiversity and on areas of the natural environment which were once available for non-invasive leisure pursuits. Yas Island, little more than sandbanks and shallow waters a decade ago, is a prime example. Khor Al Beida in Umm Al Quwain is a wetlands complex of unquestioned significance, with important and endangered bird species, that has already been adversely affected by development. Protection of at least key parts of it is long overdue.
Many of the entries on a preliminary list of important UAE wetland sites that I and some colleagues compiled nearly a quarter of a century ago would no longer qualify.
Looking to the future, though, there are still areas that retain much of their natural value and are worthy of consideration as further UAE Ramsar Sites. They include some of the private islands around Abu Dhabi City, whose owners have carefully kept development to a minimum. They deserve credit for that.
Preservation of our wetlands, though, isn’t simply a matter of protecting the natural environment. Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, now managed by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, is one of the nation’s most important Ramsar sites. When I first visited it, nearly 30 years ago, it was an area of sabkha, or salt flat, which occasionally flooded after heavy rains. Now, thanks to the building of the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain truck road and the carefully controlled discharge of treated effluent from the nearby Mafraq waste water treatment plant, the site is of regional importance for its bird populations, not just flamingoes, but much else besides.
With a bit of imagination, other such sites can be established. Dubai’s Al Qudra Lakes are wholly man-made. They have rapidly attracted resident and migrant birds, and have become a popular destination for Dubai residents seeking an escape from the big city at weekends. An innovative use of the waste water generated in Abu Dhabi’s inland oilfields could quickly lead to the creation of new and similarly important wetlands. That can be done while, at the same time, we preserve the most important of our natural ones.
The benefits are not simply for avid birdwatchers, like me, but for the broader community, in terms of leisure opportunities and of the promotion of environmental awareness.
There are other advantages, too. I can understand why, for some city-dwellers, the expanse of shallow waterways, sandbanks and mangroves either side of the Sheikh Khalifa Highway, between Saadiyat and Yas, might appear boring and of little value. In fact, such natural wetland areas help to protect against storm damage and erosion. At a time when climate change and rising sea levels threaten the vast majority of the UAE’s population who live close to the coast, that should, surely, be of vital concern to those who plan the future of our country.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
More from Mohammed Alardhi
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
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%3Cp%3EThe%20sixth%20sanctions%20package%20will%20also%20see%20European%20insurers%20banned%20from%20covering%20Russian%20shipping%2C%20more%20individuals%20added%20to%20the%20EU's%20sanctions%20list%20and%20Russia's%20Sberbank%20cut%20off%20from%20international%20payments%20system%20Swift.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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%3Cp%3EMercedes-Benz's%20MBUX%20digital%20voice%20assistant%2C%20Hey%20Mercedes%2C%20allows%20users%20to%20set%20up%20commands%20for%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Navigation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Calls%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20In-car%20climate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Ambient%20lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Media%20controls%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Driver%20assistance%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20General%20inquiries%20such%20as%20motor%20data%2C%20fuel%20consumption%20and%20next%20service%20schedule%2C%20and%20even%20funny%20questions%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThere's%20also%20a%20hidden%20feature%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20pressing%20and%20holding%20the%20voice%20command%20button%20on%20the%20steering%20wheel%20activates%20the%20voice%20assistant%20on%20a%20connected%20smartphone%20%E2%80%93%20Siri%20on%20Apple's%20iOS%20or%20Google%20Assistant%20on%20Android%20%E2%80%93%20enabling%20a%20user%20to%20command%20the%20car%20even%20without%20Apple%20CarPlay%20or%20Android%20Auto%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
