H.E. Dr. Amna Al Dahak Highlights UAE's Success in Promoting Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Oceans

Environment

H.E. Dr. Amna Al Dahak Highlights UAE's Success in Promoting Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Oceans

Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, led the UAE delegation at the "Ocean Action: Immersed in Change" event held in San Jose, Costa Rica, on June 7-8. This high-level stakeholder meeting, coinciding with World Oceans Day, brought together global ministers to discuss the protection of ocean ecosystems and accelerate efforts to improve ocean health.

Organized by the Costa Rican government ahead of the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, Paris next year, the event served as a platform for stakeholders to exchange best practices in ocean governance and health.

H.E. Dr. Al Dahak participated in several high-level panel discussions with other ministers and country representatives. She highlighted the UAE’s progress towards the 30X30 target, aiming to protect and conserve at least 30% of the planet’s oceans by 2030. Emphasizing the crucial role of ocean ecosystems in the UAE’s social and economic development, she shared insights on sustainable fisheries and the country’s thriving aquaculture industry. She also referenced the UAE's pledge to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030.

Dr. Al Dahak underscored the UAE's commitment to international cooperation in addressing climate change, illustrated by initiatives like COP28 hosted in the UAE. She highlighted the Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC), launched in partnership with Indonesia, which includes 42 countries sharing expertise and resources for mangrove conservation. Additionally, she mentioned the Mangrove Breakthrough program, aiming to restore 15 million hectares of mangroves globally by 2030 with $4 billion in financing, and the 2030 Seagrass Breakthrough, which promotes the benefits of seagrasses in combating climate change and supporting local communities.

Discussing the key elements for a successful UN Oceans Conference (UNOC 2025), Dr. Al Dahak stressed the importance of maintaining momentum towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14, which focuses on conserving and sustainably using ocean, sea, and marine resources. She emphasized the need for clear goals to protect oceans from climate change, pollution, and overfishing, urging global cooperation across all sectors to ensure clean, healthy, and sustainable oceans.

In high-level dialogues, Dr. Al Dahak shared how the UAE is advancing scientific research and tackling current challenges with international partners. She described the ocean as a shared global asset, highlighting the necessity of multilateral collaboration to achieve common goals in boosting ocean ecosystems.

During her visit to Costa Rica, Dr. Al Dahak met with key officials, including H.E. Franz Tattenbach, Costa Rica's Minister of Environment and Energy; H.E. Heiner Méndez Barrientos, Costa Rica's Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture; H.E. Hervé Berville, France's Secretary of State for the Sea and Biodiversity; and H.E. Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Norway's Minister for International Cooperation, to discuss bilateral cooperation in environmental and marine fields.