What is the
Nature-based Solutions
project in the UAE?
The "Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Climate, Biodiversity & People” project in the UAE is funded by HSBC, and is a partnership between the Minister of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), the Minister of Economy (MoEc), the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the Government of Umm Al Quwain, Emirates Nature-WWF and the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA).
The project is part of HSBC’s Climate Solutions Partnership, a global philanthropic initiative in partnership with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and WWF, to help scale up high-impact NbS to capture carbon dioxide and protect natural ecosystems.
The project - which follows the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Standard for NbS - focuses on the protection, restoration and management of coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes, as a key NbS to strengthen climate change mitigation, enhance biodiversity, and open up benefits for society through opportunities that unlock blended finance to support ecosystem protection, Blue Carbon, ecotourism and food security, among other goals. These are critical national issues as the UAE gears up to host COP28 in 2023.
More About the Project
What’s the issue?
The UAE coastline has many diverse and productive Blue Carbon ecosystems of local, regional and global importance for society, biodiversity and climate change mitigation. Its economic, social and environmental significance mean it is critical to safeguard this marine wealth, and we are working to preserve its resources while exploring potential sustainable business opportunities that could be created for the private sector.
There is a quest to increase financial flows towards nature conservation and associated bankable projects which create positive environmental returns leading to improved biodiversity outcomes and climate mitigation and/or adaptation, while also being attractive for financial institutions to invest in.
What are we doing?
Our approach: Science & Dialogue
The partnership will collaborate closely with local and national stakeholders to implement conservation solutions founded on robust science, improved policies and greater public awareness, to ensure that healthy marine ecosystems are at the heart of policy goals and actions to achieve environmental, economic and societal benefits for all. The project will embrace a holistic ecosystem-based approach at a seascape level which recognizes that the value and provisioning of ecosystem services is influenced by connectivity across multiple ecosystems.
Partners
News and Updates
Emirates Nature-WWF showcased the Sustainable Blue Economy (SBE) Strategy and inspired visitors to get involved
Making waves for the planet at the Umm Al Quwain (UAQ) Marine Festival
By the Nbs project’s partners
COP27: NbS at the heart of the discussion
By the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Emirates Nature-WWF (ENWWF)
Collective action on Nature-based Solutions to be showcased at COP28
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