Climate change a serious threat to the Emirates’ wetlands, official says
▶ Protecting these habitats is more important than ever, panelists at World Ocean Summit told
Climate change is a major threat to the UAE’s wetlands, a senior environmental official told the World Ocean Summit.
A 2°C rise in global temperatures could place the precious habitats under severe pressure, said Fahed Al Hammadi, acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Green Development and Climate Change Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
Mr Al Hammadi said that hotter temperatures, rising humidity and increasing sea levels were the most likely regional effects of climate change. And wetlands are most susceptible to these changes.
“We can see that there are threats to them,” he said on the third and final day of the summit, held in Abu Dhabi.
“We must be prepared in the UAE to adapt to the changes. It is a local problem.”
Wetlands are covered permanently by salt or freshwater. They can act as giant sponges and protect against flooding, while they are also a natural habitat for flora and fauna.
Wetlands can also cool the air, filter pollutants, treat sewage and even boost tourism.
Al Wathba wetland in Abu Dhabi, for example, offers a welcome weekend retreat from city life.
Wetlands all over the world are vulnerable to climate change, with about 60 per cent of them lost globally since the 1970s.
The UAE has nine “wetlands of international importance”, which span 39,080 hectares. They are also known as Ramsar sites, named after the city where the convention on international standards was agreed in 1971. It came into force in the UAE in 2007.
“Protecting wetlands is more essential than ever,” said Hiba Al Shehhi, Director of Biodiversity at the ministry.
“They need protection from disturbance and we are also working to mitigate the effects of human development [on the wetlands].”
Ms Al Shehhi said authorities were working on a strategy for ecotourism to build awareness about the wetlands.
“We are not saying we won’t allow people [to visit] – but it must be eco-friendly and create a balance between tourism, development and protection of habitat,” said Ms Al Shehhi.
The most recent designation for a UAE wetland was in February, when the Hatta Mountain Reserve was declared the UAE’s ninth wetland of international importance.
The reserve is in the Hajjar Mountains and the rain it catches helps to replenish two major reservoirs, at the Hatta and Al Ghabra dams. Given that the country needs every drop of water it can get, the site represents a rare freshwater ecosystem.
“Wetlands are so important, because they are the first line of defence against sea-level rises and storms,” said Enric Sala, explorer-in-residence at National Geographic.
“You have 260 species of birds at Al Wathba alone – [wetlands] are the most efficient ecosystems on the planet. We have to preserve what we have and restore as much as possible.”
Mr Sala said that despite all the damage that has been done to wetlands, the natural environment does not hold a grudge. “Give them some space and they will heal and come back,” he said.
The warnings about the UAE’s wetlands came during a panel assessing the forthcoming UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s special report on the oceans.
The report is due later this year and presents a gloomy forecast for the future.
For example, a 2°C rise above pre-industrial levels could wipe out the world’s coral reefs by 2050. Mr Al Hammadi declined to say whether the UAE would support a potential global carbon tax.