Environmental conservation has been a long-standing concern as the United Arab Emirates has sought to balance rapid socioeconomic development and the protection of its natural heritage. Standing at the nexus of the UAE’s various environmental conservation efforts is H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, secretary-general of the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency, mandated with protecting the emirate’s environment and enhancing its biodiversity. Al Mubarak is also the managing director of the Emirates Wildlife Society, in association with the World Wildlife Fund (EWS-WWF), as well as the Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, a philanthropic endowment established to provide targeted grants to individual species conservation initiatives worldwide.

Al Mubarak discussed the challenges the UAE faces in protecting its unique fauna and flora in the face of the urbanization that has accompanied tremendous population growth and higher standards of living. She covered the regional and global environmental conservation efforts that have made the UAE a leader in this field. She was joined by Frederic Launay, acting director general of the Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.

Speakers:

H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary-General, Abu Dhabi Environment Agency

Frederic Launay, Director General, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund