The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) successfully completed its first assessment of terrestrial and marine ecosystems in the region. The IUCN document has already been published and is available for consultation.

According to Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General at EAD: "besides being the first in the region, the Abu Dhabi Red List of Ecosystems is an excellent example of collaboration with global partners in developing and promoting the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) programme and its knowledge products."

This new assessment will support efforts to accurately and effectively conserve priority threatened habitats, strengthening the network of protected areas within the United Arab Emirates. It is expected that the Abu Dhabi Red List of Ecosystems will contribute to urban planning, land use, and infrastructure projects. According to Dr. Al Dhaheri, it is also a necessary step to strengthen efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

The emirate's marine and terrestrial ecosystems were evaluated, with 12 classified as threatened. Of these ecosystems under some form of threat, 5 were classified as Vulnerable, five as Endangered, and two as Critically Endangered. Fortunately, according to the research, there are no collapsed ecosystems in Abu Dhabi. Mountains and wadis, coastal plains, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and coral reef ecosystems are some of the most threatened ecosystems according to the evaluation. However, many of these already are under some kind of protection managed by EAD.

 

Fig 1. IUCN Red List of Ecosystem risk categories for the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Plausible bounds reflect the uncertainty in the assessment of the RLE criteria (Source: Data from EAD).

 

In the words of Ahmed Al Hashmi, Executive Director for the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD: "Abu Dhabi’s diverse species and ecosystems are exposed to several threats, including development, pollution, and climate change. The Abu Dhabi Red List of Ecosystems will shape understanding around the risks facing each ecosystem, enabling the agency to effectively establish a representative network of protected areas. The list is not only the first in the region, but is also the first of its kind to include desert ecosystems and apply the assessment criteria to human-made ecosystems."

The Abu Dhabi Red List of Ecosystems helped identify knowledge gaps and highlighted the need to collect long-term data on the evaluated processes and interactions. Together with the Red List of Threatened Species, it provides a broader perspective on the state of biodiversity and conservation needs in the region.

 

Information source: https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/en/environment/environment-agency-abu-dhabi-enhances-efforts-to-protect-ecosystems-and-habitats-with-abudhabi-red-list-of-ecosystems-assessment/

Edited by Emy Miyazawa