What does ‘net-zero’ mean for nature?

Five UAE Ambassadors for Nature reflect on what a transition to a climate neutral society could mean for nature, as they hike through a wadi in the Emirate of Fujairah.

Alaa Masood works in HR and spends his free time in nature. He organises hikes, practices yoga and is passionate about healthy living.

When you love something, you care for it. I want to instil that mentality in other people.

For instance, I love gardening. In the lockdown, I grew three watermelons! It gave me the same feeling as if I were raising a child. I love it.

I try to teach the people on hikes to really connect with the surrounding place. I test them on the trees and plants that we see on the hikes. With some practice, they will remember it. 

 

Nadine Kassab is an interior designer. She is currently pursuing a project to encourage people in her field to incorporate sustainable materials in their designs.

What I like to focus on is creating healthy living spaces. Some flooring materials in gyms and nurseries emit particles that affect your health, so I want to replace them with more sustainable materials.

I enjoy the weekend getaways from Dubai, where I experience nature. It really grounds me from all the business that you go through during the week.

 

 

Hannah Melville-Rea is climate researcher at NYU Abu Dhabi and the youngest member of the UAE Climate Change Research Network.

Walking through these mountains makes you rethink our relationship with water. The mountain is so dry, but still the native trees grow through the rocks. People are enjoying the stream created by last week’s rain and the traditional falaj irrigation systems are feeding the farms.

As a researcher, it’s really exciting that the UAE is hosting the world’s biggest climate conference next year. It builds momentum for our commitments to a net-zero future.

 

Ahmad Abusamra works at Emirates-Nature WWF to train others in conservation leadership. He mentored the UAE Nature Ambassadors.

It’s not just about what a net-zero future can do to benefit nature. There are also indirect benefits from nature that help up achieve net-zero.

The trees and mangroves that we have around us absorb CO2 and really help us to get to Net-Zero. If we conserve it enough, it will help with the transition.

 

 

Judy Mahfouz is an architect who organises monthly beach and mountain community clean-ups.

The other day, I saw birds eating plastic, and goats eating plastic. Going on cleanups gives me the motivation to change my habits because I saw the damage to nature first hand. 

We can reach net-zero emissions, and also net-zero waste. That would reduce the damage that we do to nature and help the species and wildlife living here. 

 

 

 

 

To experience the UAE’s mountains on the next hike, search for “Meet & Hike – Abu Dhabi” via the Meet & Train app.