The metal turnstiles grind open and 24 humped beasts begin their parade from the milking pen into the sprawling Al Ain desert. Moments later, a second herd takes its place, and so it continues until every last camel has been milked and the march starts once again. The milking process at Al Ain Farms camel dairy is a well-oiled machine. Impatient hoofing aside, the resident beasts know the drill, and so they should, with each...
Dr Hind Al Ameri is an Emirati marine conservation scientist and sea turtle biologist with Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. We spoke to her on International Women’s Day in a year where women still face significant challenges and unequal access to opportunities, to talk about support, empowerment and representation – in her field and the wider world. What exactly does a marine conservation scientist do? Our job is to conserve, protect and manage marine species...
So you’ve bought your new electric car. You congratulate yourself on contributing to cleaner air in the UAE as you drive down Sheikh Zayed Road creating zero emissions. And then someone points out the carbon released in factories to manufacture this ‘green’ vehicle would have been significant. Generating the electricity which charges the battery largely comes with its own environmental impact, too. But it’s the material make-up of the battery itself which is becoming so...
While many associate SeaWorld with theme park rides and dolphin shows, the group’s marine conservation efforts get a lot less attention. However, as one of the largest marine animal rescue organizations in the world, SeaWorld has so far saved 40,000 sick, stranded or injured animals, and helped rehabilitate and return thousands back to the wild. Now, after over 60 years in operation, the group has launched its first location outside of the US, right here in Abu Dhabi....
Brimming with majestic desert landscapes, pristine white beaches and precious mangrove forests, thousands of different species of wildlife make their home in the UAE. However, littering continues to be a problem, and many people still need to be better educated about the importance of protecting the environment. For example, according to a 2022 study published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, 75 percent of all dead green turtles and 57 percent of all dead loggerhead turtles...
It’s a fashion competition like no other, with designers using everything from an old trampoline to plastic sanitary wrappers, a mannequin bust, ATM receipts and actual living moss. The first-ever World Final of Junk Kouture, the world’s largest sustainable fashion competition for youth, is happening on January 11, 2023. And with Etihad Airways as a partner, old airplane seat covers, cabin crew uniforms and life vests will join coffee capsules, orange peels and plastic bags as source materials. ...
If you’ve strolled through Mall of The Emirates in Dubai in the last six months, a shiny new store just across from Harvey Nichols may have caught your eye. Looking like a cross between an art gallery and an Apple Store, there’s just one product for sale inside. The fact that it’s an electric car says everything about the status of — and excitement surrounding — electric vehicles in the UAE as we enter 2023. ...
The world just passed a quiet milestone, topping 8 billion people on Earth. Embedded in this demographic story is an important developmental one: We are healthier, wealthier, and better educated than at any time in human history. And yet, macro numbers offer little solace to the 800 million people who still lack access to electricity, or the roughly same amount who go to sleep hungry. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of the existing inequalities in our world and added a range of new problems, from supply...
This Monday, three UAE residents embark on of the world’s last great adventures. In a boat not much bigger than a car, they will attempt to make it from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean; rowing unaided 5,000km across the Atlantic Ocean. Led by founder Toby Gregory, the Arabian Ocean Rowing team — rounded out by Rai Tamagnini and James Raleigh — will eat, sleep, row, repeat for an expected...
December in the UAE is the perfect time for hikes, picnics, beach days and other fun outdoor activities — unfortunately, it’s also when increasing amounts of garbage litter the country’s landscape. “It’s so disturbing to visit some of our beautiful natural habitats and see them strewn with trash,” says Habiba Al Mar’ashi, Chairperson and Co-Founder of The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG). “We all know that leaving plastic or any waste on the ground can negatively...
Did the Earth’s climate just cross the Rubicon? It certainly feels that way given all the extreme weather events taking place. Europe recorded its hottest summer on record. California remains in an unprecedented climate emergency that may result in rolling electricity blackouts. We don’t even know what challenges will take place in the Southern Hemisphere when summer sets in. The gravity of these climate-related events is having knock-on effects across societies around the world. From electricity generation to safe drinking water, extreme weather is forcing us to craft durable...
