Kelp forests are some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. We might know kelp as a superfood but in the sea it provides shelter, food, and breeding grounds for countless marine species. Unfortunately, these vital underwater habitats are in decline due to factors like climate change, pollution, and overfishing.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has welcomed the approval by UN member states of a landmark legally binding agreement, under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in international waters, covering nearly two-thirds of world’s ocean. The world’s oceans […]
The United Arab Emirates has passed resolution 500 in an effort to curb shark finning and protect endangered species. Currently a hub for the shark trade, the United Arab Emirates (the UAE) will implement the new laws on September 1, 2014. The new laws prohibit fishermen from catching sharks within five nautical miles off shore, and within three nautical […]
A leading property developer in Dubai executed one of the world’s largest coral relocation projects in 2008, and now – five years later – the mammoth $9.8 million undertaking has shown itself to be a remarkable success.
A five star hotel will offer chefs, tennis and golf pros, hairdressers and masseuses, but the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi just upped the ante by adding a marine biologist to its permanent staff. The resort’s resident marine expert will be organizing workshops and eco-excursions to educate and entertain guests, but her primary mandate is to […]
Campaigners in Lebanon are asking for support to protect an ancient Phoenician coastline which is under threat due to a port project Lebanese environment campaigners are calling on nature lovers far and wide to help them protect an important piece of their natural heritage along the Mediterranean Sea. It seems that a beautiful part of the […]
Easkey Britton, a surfing champion and passionate environmentalist, became the first women to surf the Iranian waves When Easkey Britton walked into the sea in southern Iran with a surfboard in hand, curiosity brought out not only the locals but the police. Luckily for her and Marion Poizeau, the filmmaker who was documenting her journey, […]
An investigation by Greenpeace has found hormone-disrupting chemicals and a range of phthalates which are classified as toxic to reproduction in Lebanese waters Ranking a lowly 114 in the Global Health Index, Lebanon was under no illusion that its waters were the cleanest or most biodiverse. However, a recent report by Greenpeace Lebanon has revealed […]
Recent images of a dead, bloody wolf and broken flamingos that young Kuwaiti men killed for sport gave the oil-rich state a dark reputation. But a new video narrated so eloquently by Dalal Al-Abdulrazzak, a Kuwaiti Phd candidate studying Gulf marine ecology at the University of British Columbia, provides a glimpse into a less-celebrated segment […]
Plans to build a Red Sea bridge connecting Saudi Arabia and Egypt have been revived but there are some serious environmental concerns More than two decades after it was first planned, Egypt and Saudi Arabia may be about to start work on a land and sea bridge connecting the two countries. The proposed bridge would […]
The Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences wants your vote for its project aimed at protecting coastal fisheries One of the world’s oldest Green Islamic organisation is asking supporters to vote for its community-based project which helps protect coastal fisheries. The Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES) has managed to make it […]
We speak to the Emirates Diving Association about why they accepted funding from the gas-guzzling car manufacturer Ford Motors The Emirates Diving Association (EDA) based in Dubai has been working hard over the last couple of years to protect the marine environment, collect data to track changes in coral reefs in the United Arab Emirates […]
Abu Dhabi’s Corniche has become the Arabian Gulf’s first Blue Flag beach The city of Abu Dhabi has become the first Arabian Gulf location to gain a Blue Flag environmental award for one of its beaches. The certification has been awarded to the famous Abu Dhabi Corniche, a four mile stretch of coastline which is […]
Watermen and women from 52 countries will unite this World Environment Day to raise funds for the Daram Marine Reserve in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Pull out your oars and go paddling this World Environment Day, June 5, 2011. Started by a crew of Dubai-based watermen distressed by the state of our oceans but determined to […]
We speak to the Zeina Aboul Hosn, an environmental filmmaker based in the Middle East about sharks, working on the Age of Stupid and the challenges she faces in her work Shortlisted for the Amnesty International 2008 Media Award for journalists covering human rights, Zeina Aboul Hosn is clearly passionate about the world around her […]