UAE entities come together to save endangered species in Asia, Africa

A state-owned firm in partnership with environmental organisations has been successful in protecting endangered flora and fauna in Africa and Asia.

It was last year that Mubadala Investment Company, an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor, committed $1.5 million annually for three years to support the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ Fund) environmental conservation efforts in Africa and Asia. The MBZ Fund is a philanthropic endowment established in 2009 to provide small grants to individual species conservation initiatives worldwide.

Mubadala, along with the MBZ Fund and Emirates Nature-WWF, has been focused on countries where portfolio companies operate such as Guinea, Indonesia, and Thailand, which represent some of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots.

In Guinea, the partnership has been preserving endangered marine species, including critically endangered marine turtles, conducted threat assessments on the Atlantic humpbacked dolphin, and the African manatee.

Homaid Al Shimmari, deputy group CEO, chief corporate and human capital officer, Mubadala Investment Company, said that the protection of the planet is a key area of focus. “We play an important role in raising awareness for environmental conservation.”

In Indonesia, the partnership supports the marine ecosystem, in particular coral reefs and seagrass, in the Makasaar Strait, as well as terrestrial ecosystems through wildcat conservation in Aceh Province.

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Razan Al Mubarak, managing director, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, and the MBZ Fund pointed out that the partnership has delivered desired results.

“Species have been found after not being seen for decades, crucial data on the presence and absence of species has been collected enabling conservationists to develop and implement conservation action, and local communities have been engaged to protect their local species and their habitat.”

In Thailand, the support focuses on migratory wading birds – in particular the Spotted greenshank, and their mud-flat and mangrove habitats in the northern Gulf of Thailand, and the Smooth-coated otter, as well as other freshwater species located at Kaeng Krachan National Park.

Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, director general, Emirates Nature-WWF, said the partnership is contributing to the UAE’s commitments at COP28 and climate-related policies.

“Together, we are co-creating solutions that work for our unique landscape, all as part of our Leaders of Change programme. Strong and sustained partnerships play a key role and by leveraging the strengths of these collaborations, we can achieve transformative impact at scale.”

In the UAE, Mubadala’s collaboration with Emirates Nature-WWF aims to maintain and restore local natural heritage and biodiversity, address climate and air quality issues, lower carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency and promote renewable energy, among other priorities.

• UAE