United Arab Emirates

1. Overview

The National Biodiversity Strategy 2014–2021 is the United Arab Emirates' NBSAP, prepared in compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which the UAE ratified in 1999 [§7]. The strategy was developed by a drafting team within the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) with technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for West Asia, through three interactive workshops spanning federal ministries, emirate-level environmental authorities, the private sector, universities, and international organisations, before being presented to the Policies and Strategies Council for adoption [§60].

The strategy is organised around five strategic pillars* and twenty-one national commitments***The UAE NBSAP calls these "national objectives." This page uses "national commitments" — the canonical Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) term for a country's headline pledges. Where this page refers to the twenty Aichi-derived national targets in Annex 11, it retains the UAE's "Aichi" framing.The UAE NBSAP calls these "key directives." This page uses "strategic pillars" to signal that they are country-level thematic aims, not an alignment to GBF Goals A–D., most with a 2021 deadline (three have earlier deadlines of 2016 or 2018). The pillars cover mainstreaming; knowledge and capacities; the state of biodiversity (protected areas, species, genetic resources); pressures on terrestrial and marine environments; and regional and international co-operation [§64]. The commitments were developed in alignment with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and UAE Vision 2021 [§9, §64].

This NBSAP was submitted before the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (December 2022). Target mappings are inferred and were not part of the document's original scope.

The UAE's 2014–2021 NBSAP is an Aichi-era federal strategy that sets a 12% terrestrial and 14% marine protected-area commitment by 2021, assigns MoEW as the single federal implementer across all twenty Aichi-derived national targets, and layers emirate-level authorities beneath federal minimum standards. It contains no costed implementation plan and identifies a Resource Mobilisation Strategy as an outstanding gap.

Sources:

• §7 — National Biodiversity Strategy 2014–2021 > Executive Summary
• §9 — Key Directives of the Strategy and National Objectives
• §60 — Chapter Two (strategy development process)
• §64 — Chapter One > Key Directives of the Strategy

2. Ecological Context

The UAE federation occupies the north-eastern Arabian Peninsula with a land area of approximately 71,024 km² and territorial seas of approximately 270,625 km² — a marine-to-terrestrial ratio of nearly four to one [§16]. An arid desert climate divides the country into three topographical zones: sandy desert constitutes approximately 80% of the land area [§17]; mountains constitute approximately 2.6%, extending around 155 km and harbouring the Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr), Arabian tahr (Hemitragus jayakari), and Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) [§18]; and 1,390 km of coastline contain coral reefs, seagrass beds, and approximately 120,000 hectares of mangrove forests [§19].

Recorded biodiversity includes approximately 731 plant species across 386 genera, 48 wild mammal species, more than 440 bird species, over 40 coral species, and approximately 500 fish species [§20–§22]. Al Siniyah Island in Umm Al Quwain harbours 35,000–50,000 pairs of the globally threatened Socotra cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis), and the country's waters hold a dugong (Dugong dugon) population described in the NBSAP as the second largest in the world after Australia [§21, §22]. Jebel Hafit records 181 vascular plant species — approximately 25% of the state's plants — and Wadi Al Wurayah harbours more than 300 wild plant species, 12 mammals, 74 birds, and 13 reptiles and amphibians, of which five are endemic to the UAE and the mountains of northern Oman [§18]. Six mammal species are extinct in the wild locally: the Arabian oryx (since reintroduced through captive breeding), Nubian ibex, Arabian wolf, striped hyaena, Arabian leopard, and Indian crested porcupine — a concrete baseline for species-recovery commitments treated in Target 4 [§21].

The traditional aflaj (أفلاج) water-channel system is estimated at 150 channels, of which 50 remain operational after groundwater drawdown cut flow to many [§18, §32]. As of 2013, 22 natural reserves had been officially declared totalling 6,841.975 km², with five Ramsar sites — inventoried in Target 3 [§23]. The main threats catalogued in the NBSAP are urban and industrial expansion, groundwater overextraction, overgrazing, invasive species (149 recorded, detailed in Target 6), demersal fisheries collapse (quantified in Target 5), pollution from desalination and sewage, and climate change — the latter three interacting in a causal chain set out in the next section [§25–§34].

Sources:

• §16 — Chapter One > State of Biodiversity
• §17 — The Desert Environment
• §18 — The Mountainous Environment
• §19 — The Marine and Coastal Environment
• §20 — Terrestrial Plant Diversity
• §21 — Terrestrial Animal Diversity
• §22 — Marine Diversity
• §23 — Natural Reserves
• §25 — Urban Expansion
• §32 — Pressures on Natural Resources
• §34 — Fisheries

The desalination–brine–biodiversity nexus

The NBSAP treats the UAE's coastal concentration, desalination footprint, and marine ecosystem pressures as a single causal chain rather than as separate pollution, climate, and fisheries items — a framing that distinguishes it from most arid-country NBSAPs.

Approximately 85% of the country's population and more than 90% of its infrastructure sit along the coast [§28]. A 2008 Abu Dhabi Environment Agency report projects that a 1-metre sea-level rise would flood 1,155 km², rising to 4,984 km² at 9 metres [§28]. Sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Gulf region are rising at a rate well above the global average of 0.2 °C per decade, and coral reefs have experienced recurring bleaching events in 1997, 2007, and 2010; projected warming of 1.5–2.6 °C would exceed coral physiological tolerances [§28]. A three-year MoEW study (2011–2013) with New York University Abu Dhabi and the University of New Hampshire mapped the reefs and recorded regeneration in areas previously affected by bleaching [§28].

On the water-supply side, approximately 70 desalination plants operate across the country — 81% thermal, 19% reverse osmosis by production capacity — discharging approximately 3 billion cubic metres of hypersaline brine into the Gulf in 2009, with copper and chlorine identified as the most dangerous components of liquid desalination waste [§33]. Treated sewage water reached approximately 559 million m³ in 2010 and is projected to reach 1,400 million m³ by 2030; more than 207 million m³ (37%) was discharged to sea in 2010 due to incomplete transport and distribution infrastructure [§33]. A Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research survey found that demersal fish stocks declined approximately 88% in the UAE's Arabian Gulf waters and approximately 94% on its north-eastern shores between a 1978 FAO baseline and 2011 — from 4,950 kg/km² to 599 kg/km² (Gulf) and from 9,100 kg/km² to 529 kg/km² (east coast) [§34]. These elements anchor the NBSAP's treatment of GBF Targets 5, 7, 8, and 11.

Sources:

• §28 — Invasive Species > Climate Change
• §33 — Desalination and Sanitary Drainage
• §34 — Fisheries

3. National Commitments and GBF Alignment

The strategy's twenty-one national commitments are organised under the five strategic pillars. Fourteen are measurable commitments (a threshold plus a deadline); seven are directional aspirations; there are no interim commitments.

Pillar 1 — Mainstreaming biodiversity (Objectives 1–4)

Objective 1 commits that by 2021 awareness programmes reach all inhabitants, with at least 75% of citizens aware of biodiversity values, its protection, and its sustainable uses [§65]. Objective 2 commits to mainstreaming biodiversity values into planning and decision-making processes by 2021 [§65]. Objective 3 commits that by 2021 incentives including harmful subsidies are eliminated, phased out, or reformed, and positive incentives for conservation and sustainable use are developed and applied [§65]. Objective 4 commits to a 50% increase, by 2021, in governmental and non-governmental institutions that have adopted sustainable production and consumption plans [§65].

Measurability: Objectives 1 and 4 are measurable commitments. Objectives 2 and 3 are directional aspirations — "mainstreamed" and "eliminated/phased-out/reformed" carry no threshold or monetary quantum. GBF Target mapping: Target 14 (Objectives 1, 2), Target 18 (Objective 3), Target 16 (Objective 4).

Pillar 2 — Knowledge base and capacities (Objectives 5–6)

Objective 5 commits that by 2021 the status and trends of the main elements of biodiversity are assessed, monitored, and linked to decision-making [§65]. Objective 6 commits that by 2021 traditional practices, knowledge, and innovations are taken into account in policy and legislation development [§65].

Measurability: both are directional aspirations. GBF Target mapping: Target 21 (Objective 5), Targets 9 and 22 (Objective 6).

Pillar 3 — State of biodiversity (Objectives 7–13)

Objective 7 commits to ranking the UAE in the top 10 countries on the biodiversity sub-index of the Environmental Performance Index by 2021 [§65]. Objective 8 commits to conserving 12% of terrestrial and inland-water areas and 14% of coastal and marine areas through a representative network of effectively managed protected areas by 2021 — the marine figure deliberately above the Aichi global benchmark of 10%, justified by the country's large marine extent [§60, §65]. Objective 9 commits to improving the conservation status of 70% of the most threatened species by 2021 through targeted programmes [§65]. Objective 10 commits to reducing the rate of loss of natural habitats, including critical habitats, by 25% by 2021 [§65]. Objective 11 commits to protecting and commencing rehabilitation of no less than 50% of degraded habitats to improve ecosystem contributions to carbon stocks by 2021 [§65]. Objective 12 commits that by 2021 no less than 90% of rehabilitation plans for degraded ecosystems that provide essential services are implemented [§65]. Objective 13 commits that by 2021 important genetic resources are conserved and protected [§65].

Measurability: Objectives 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are measurable commitments. Objective 13 is a directional aspiration. GBF Target mapping: Target 3 (Objective 8), Target 4 (Objective 9), Target 1 (Objective 10), Targets 2 and 11 (Objectives 11 and 12), Target 13 (Objective 13).

Pillar 4 — Pressures on terrestrial and marine environments (Objectives 14–18)

Objective 14 commits that by 2021 no less than 70% of important marine living resources vulnerable to overexploitation are sustainably managed — indexed against the documented 88–94% demersal decline [§66]. Objective 15 commits that by 2021, 50% of governmental and private lands used for agriculture, aquaculture, and forestry are sustainably managed [§66]. Objective 16 commits to reducing pollution from various sources to levels not detrimental to sensitive ecosystems by 2021, without a numerical ceiling [§66]. Objective 17 commits that by 2021 all invasive alien species and their pathways are identified, with management plans developed and implemented for priority species [§66]. Objective 18 commits that by 2018 action plans are developed and implementation commenced to reduce human impacts on sensitive marine ecosystems and improve climate resilience [§66].

Measurability: Objectives 14, 15, 17, and 18 are measurable commitments. Objective 16 is a directional aspiration. GBF Target mapping: Target 5 (Objective 14), Target 10 (Objective 15), Target 7 (Objective 16), Target 6 (Objective 17), Target 8 (Objective 18).

Pillar 5 — Co-operation and co-ordination (Objectives 19–21)

Objective 19 commits that by 2016 the strategy is adopted federally with programmes commenced at all levels [§67]. Objective 20 commits that by 2016 sufficient financial, human, and technical resources are allocated for effective implementation at federal and local levels [§67]. Objective 21 commits that by 2021 biodiversity-related agreements are implemented effectively and consistently, with a comprehensive strategy review three years after adoption [§67].

Measurability: Objectives 19 and 21 are measurable commitments (federal adoption and a three-year review are binary milestones). Objective 20 is a directional aspiration — "sufficient" is not quantified. GBF Target mapping: Target 20 (Objectives 19 and 21), Target 19 (Objective 20).

Indicators: the NBSAP references Table 4, "Proposed Key Indicators," as the monitoring instrument across all twenty-one commitments. The indicator table in the source document remains in Arabic and is not machine-translated; individual indicators are therefore not enumerated on this page [§82].

Sources:

• §60 — Strategy development process (marine coverage rationale)
• §65 — National Objectives (Directives 1–3)
• §66 — National Objectives (Directive 4)
• §67 — National Objectives (Directive 5)
• §82 — Proposed Key Indicators

4. Delivery Architecture

Implementation rests on a federal statutory floor, emirate-level implementing authorities, and international treaty accessions.

Primary federal legislation. Federal Law No. (24) of 1999 Concerning the Protection and Development of the Environment — described in the NBSAP as "the first integrated federal environmental law" — comprises 101 articles across nine chapters covering aquatic environment, soil, air, hazardous and medical waste, and natural reserves [§39]. Federal Law No. (11) of 2006 amended Law 24 to tighten penalties for hunting, catching, or killing animals and birds listed in three schedules defined by economic and heritage significance [§39]. Five implementing regulations cover marine environment protection, hazardous and medical waste, environmental impact assessment, pesticides and agricultural fertilisers (Cabinet Decision No. (37) of 2001), and air pollution (Cabinet Decision No. (12) of 2006) [§40].

Living aquatic resources and species legislation. Federal Law No. (23) of 1999 on the exploitation, protection, and development of living aquatic resources, with implementing regulations (Ministerial Decision No. (302) of 2001), regulates fishing licences, movement restrictions, and handling through to export, and contains provisions for grants and loans to fishers for whom fishing is the sole source of income [§40]. Species and agricultural instruments include Federal Law No. (11) of 2002 on trade in species threatened with extinction (UAE acceded to CITES in 1990), Federal Law No. (17) of 2009 on protection of new plant varieties, and Federal Law No. (9) of 2013 on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture [§40, §43].

Flagship programmes and alignments. The NBSAP aligns with five national strategies: the UAE Green Development Strategy, the Water Resources Conservation Strategy (2010), the National Strategy to Combat Desertification (updated draft), the National Marine and Coastal Environment Strategy (draft), and the Biosecurity Strategy of the United Arab Emirates [§72]. Species-recovery programmes cover the Arabian oryx (reintroduction through captive breeding), gazelles, falcons, and houbara, with the International Houbara Foundation and an Abu Dhabi draft strategy on the Arabian oryx cited among instruments [§99].

Treaties and protocols. Accession to the CBD (1999), CITES (1990), World Heritage Convention (2001), Ramsar Convention (2007), International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (2004), and UNFCCC (1995). The Cabinet has approved accession to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the Nagoya–Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol, with MoEW working on federal implementing laws and programmes [§43, §44, §46, §47, §48, §49]. Regional instruments include the Kuwait Regional Convention and its four protocols on oil pollution, continental-shelf pollution, land-based sources, and transboundary hazardous waste movements, and the GCC Convention on Wildlife and Natural Habitats (acceded 2003) [§42].

Sources:

• §39 — Federal Law 24/1999
• §40 — Implementing regulations and other federal environmental legislation
• §42 — Regional Agreements and Protocols
• §43, §44, §46, §47, §48, §49 — International agreements
• §72 — Alignment with national strategies
• §99 — Catalogue of additional instruments

5. Monitoring and Accountability

MoEW is the national focal point for the CBD and the entity responsible for monitoring strategy implementation [§93]. A National Biodiversity Committee, including representatives from the different emirates, is proposed as the national coordination framework and submits its recommendations to the Higher Committee for Environmental Coordination for adoption by local authorities [§14, §90]. Implementation of the CBD is facilitated through a committee established under Ministerial Decision No. (2) of 2001 and restructured in 2010 as the "Biodiversity and Desertification Control Team" [§46].

Reporting cadence. Each emirate submits reports every six months to the National Biodiversity Committee on measures taken to achieve national commitments and implement actions within its jurisdiction [§93]. Annual reports on implementation and achievement are submitted under Objective 21, and a comprehensive review of the strategy three years after adoption is specified [§67, §81]. After strategy adoption, each emirate is to develop a local plan specifying estimated financial resources and implementation timeframes; the National Biodiversity Committee consolidates local plans into a unified action plan submitted to MoEW for adoption, and MoEW raises the proposed national programme budget to the Council of Ministers [§85, §89].

Monitoring framework. Table 4 of the source document sets out "Proposed Key Indicators" as the monitoring instrument (the indicator table itself remains in Arabic and is not machine-translated in available text) [§82]. A national Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) is established under CBD Article 18.3, organised around a national website maintained by MoEW for information exchange across parties and partners; eight CBD recommendations are adopted for its establishment, including a designated national focal point, a coordinating structure with stakeholder participation, and a realistic implementation plan [§91, §92].

Institutional assignment. Annex 11 of the NBSAP assigns MoEW as the lead entity for all twenty Aichi-derived national targets and maps, for each target, the institutions to be involved and the data, policies, and assessments needed to set the target — spanning federal ministries, emirate-level competent authorities, international partners (UNEP, FAO, IUCN, ICARDA, ICBA, WCMC, ROPME), private-sector bodies, research centres, and NGOs [§104]. Annex 12 adopts the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound) for target-setting [§104].

Capacity development. A three-step pathway is proposed: a rapid needs assessment; a training and capacity-building programme for MoEW staff and partner entities, drawing on GCC experience; and delivery through formal education and on-the-job training [§87]. Table 5 identifies training needs in protected-areas management, Red List development, ecosystem valuation, invasive alien species management, and terrestrial and marine biodiversity survey methods, with target institutions including MoEW, the competent emirate authorities, and the Federal Customs Authority [§87].

Sources:

• §14 — Proposed Mechanism for Strategy Implementation
• §46 — Biodiversity and Desertification Control Team
• §67 — Objective 21
• §81 — Objectives 19–21 action lines
• §82 — Proposed Key Indicators
• §85 — Application to Local Entities
• §87 — Capacity Development Plans
• §89 — Resource Mobilisation Plans
• §90 — National Coordination Structure
• §91, §92 — Clearing-House Mechanism
• §93 — Monitoring and Evaluation
• §104 — Annexes 10–12

Governing seven emirates: how federal and local authorities divide biodiversity duties

The UAE's federal constitutional architecture shapes how NBSAP commitments cascade to implementation. Federal laws constitute the minimum standard for implementation and must not be contravened, while each emirate may enact more stringent local laws; in the absence of a federal law, "relevant international and environmental standards may be applied until a federal law is issued in their place" [§37]. Implementation of federal environmental laws is carried out by MoEW, established as successor to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in 2006 and consolidated through Decree No. (7) of 2009, which abolished the Federal Environment Agency and transferred all duties to MoEW [§52].

Seven emirate-level competent authorities carry local implementation, each with its own enabling instrument:

• Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), established 1996 [§53].
• Dubai Municipality, represented by the Environment Department [§54].
• Environment and Protected Areas Authority (Sharjah), established under Law No. (6) of 1998, with which "all governmental entities in the state are required to co-ordinate" on environmental affairs [§55].
• Municipality and Planning Department (Ajman), through its Public Health and Environment Department [§56].
• Umm Al Quwain Municipality [§57].
• Environment Protection and Development Authority (Ras Al Khaimah), established under Local Law No. (2) of 2007 as "the sole authority responsible for environmental matters in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah" with full financial, administrative, and technical independence [§58].
• Fujairah Municipality, through its Public Health and Environment Department established in 1994 [§59].

The reporting cadence reflects this structure: each emirate submits reports every six months to the National Biodiversity Committee on measures taken within its jurisdiction, with the committee consolidating emirate action plans into a unified plan for MoEW adoption [§85, §93]. Workshop outputs flag the remaining stakeholder gap — rulers' offices of each emirate, municipal governments, coast guard, police, customs, airport security, free zones, and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation are among entities identified for future engagement rounds [§102, §104].

Sources:

• §37 — Institutional and Legislative Framework
• §52–§59 — MoEW and emirate-level authorities
• §85 — Application to Local Entities
• §93 — Monitoring and Evaluation
• §102, §104 — Stakeholder mapping and roadmap

6. Finance and Resource Mobilisation

The strategy contains no dedicated finance section, no costed implementation plan, no budget allocations, no dedicated biodiversity fund, and no percentage-of-GDP commitment. It predates GBF Target 19.

Objective 20 commits that by 2016 "sufficient financial, human, and technical resources are allocated for the effective implementation of the national biodiversity strategy at both the federal and local levels" — a directional aspiration without a monetary quantum [§67]. Action lines include coordinating with emirate authorities to ensure allocation of sufficient financial resources for local operational activities, and encouraging the private sector and public-benefit associations to contribute [§80]. The Proposed Mechanism for Strategy Implementation establishes a national committee chaired by MoEW to propose financial and human resources and timeframes, submitting recommendations to the Higher Committee for Environmental Coordination [§14].

On incentives, Objective 3 commits by 2021 to eliminating, phasing out, or reforming subsidies harmful to biological diversity and developing positive incentives — without a monetary threshold — with action lines for shared incentive mechanisms between national and local entities and for biodiversity-specific awards recognising private-sector, entrepreneur, and public-benefit association contributions [§75]. Federal Law No. (23) of 1999 on living aquatic resources contains provisions for grants and loans to fishers for whom fishing is the sole source of income [§40].

The NBSAP's own gap analysis identifies "Limited human resources, technical tools and funding" and the absence of "Funding policies (Resource Mobilisation Strategy)" among gaps in the national biodiversity response [§101]. No successor resource mobilisation strategy is specified within this document.

Sources:

• §14 — Proposed Mechanism for Strategy Implementation
• §40 — Federal Law 23/1999 (grants and loans)
• §67 — Objective 20
• §75 — Objective 3 action lines
• §80 — Objective 20 action lines
• §101 — Gaps in existing biodiversity data and policy

7. GBF Target Coverage

Target 1: Spatial planning — Mentioned

Addressed indirectly through Objective 10 (25% reduction in the rate of habitat loss by 2021) and action lines to develop programmes mitigating adverse effects of land use and to mainstream biodiversity priorities into land sustainability programmes. The NBSAP does not set a spatial-retention target for high-biodiversity areas nor describe a participatory spatial planning process. 85% of the UAE's population and 90% of its infrastructure sit along the coast, shaping the land-use pressures the commitment seeks to mitigate.

Target 2: Ecosystem restoration — Addressed

Objective 11 commits that by 2021 the contribution of ecosystems to carbon stocks is improved through protection and commencement of rehabilitation of no less than 50% of degraded habitats, to help mitigate climate change and desertification. Objective 12 commits that by 2021 no less than 90% of rehabilitation plans for degraded ecosystems that provide essential services are implemented. Action lines include developing national rehabilitation strategies, identifying priority restoration areas, expanding to rare or under-represented habitats, and encouraging use of native species. Restoration is framed primarily in terms of carbon-stock contribution rather than biodiversity recovery as such; no 30% restoration figure is set.

Target 3: Protected areas (30×30) — Addressed

Objective 8 commits that by 2021, 12% of terrestrial and inland-water areas and 14% of coastal and marine areas are conserved through a representative network of effectively managed protected areas. The marine figure was deliberately set higher than the Aichi global benchmark given the country's large marine and coastal extent. As of 2013, 22 natural reserves had been declared totalling 6,841.975 km², with five Ramsar sites — including the 4,255 km² Marawah Marine Environmental Reserve (Abu Dhabi), the 2,046 km² Al Yasat Marine Reserve, the 225 km² Al Maha Desert Reserve (Dubai), Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary (Dubai, Ramsar), Sir Bu Nair Island (Sharjah, Ramsar), the Mangroves and Hufayyah at Khor Kalba (Sharjah, Ramsar), and the 127 km² Wadi Al Wurayah National Park (Fujairah, Ramsar). Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are not referenced, and the KMGBF 30% figure is not adopted.

Target 4: Species recovery — Addressed

Objective 9 commits that by 2021 programmes are developed and implemented to improve the conservation status of 70% of the most threatened species, with migratory species explicitly included. Six mammal species are listed as extinct in the wild locally — the Arabian oryx (reintroduced through captive breeding), Nubian ibex, Arabian wolf, striped hyaena, Arabian leopard, and Indian crested porcupine — providing a concrete baseline. Federal Law No. (11) of 2006 amended Federal Law No. (24) of 1999 to tighten penalties for hunting, catching, or killing animals and birds listed in three schedules defined by economic and heritage significance; CITES has applied domestically since 1990. Action lines include expanding surveys to marine and coastal species, implementing management plans for high-priority species communities, and reducing illegal trade.

Target 5: Sustainable harvest — Addressed

Objective 14 commits that by 2021 no less than 70% of important marine living resources vulnerable to overexploitation are sustainably managed. The baseline is a documented demersal fish stock decline of approximately 88% in the UAE's Arabian Gulf waters and approximately 94% on its north-eastern shores between 1978 (FAO) and 2011 (Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research / Al-Husaini et al., 2012). Federal Law No. (23) of 1999 regulates licensing and fishing-vessel movement; approximately 75% of dugong mortality along the Abu Dhabi shoreline is attributed to incidental capture in artisanal fishing nets. Terrestrial wild-species harvest is addressed through hunting penalties under Law 11/2006 rather than a separate harvest-sustainability target.

Target 6: Invasive alien species — Addressed

Objective 17 commits that by 2021 all invasive alien species (IAS) and their pathways are identified and management plans are developed and implemented for priority species. A preliminary study recorded 149 invasive species, including Prosopis juliflora (mesquite, introduced for forestry and landscaping), the rock hyrax (escaped from private ownership), the common ("Indian") myna (Abu Dhabi distribution sites rose from 10 to 30 over the preceding decade), the house crow, and the rose-ringed parakeet. Action lines include strengthening border surveillance covering ballast water and ship waste, integrated risk management covering trade in genetically modified organisms (GMOs), establishing a national GMO committee, and aligning with the UAE Biosecurity Strategy.

Target 7: Pollution reduction — Addressed

Objective 16 commits that by 2021 pollution from various sources is reduced to levels not detrimental to sensitive ecosystems and biodiversity — a directional aspiration with no numerical ceiling. Quantified pressures include approximately 3 billion m³ of highly saline desalination brine discharged to the Gulf in 2009 (copper and chlorine flagged as most dangerous components) and more than 207 million m³ (37%) of treated sewage water discharged to sea unutilised in 2010. Federal Law No. (24) of 1999 and its implementing regulations govern marine protection, hazardous waste, environmental impact assessment, pesticides and fertilisers (Cabinet Decision 37/2001), and air pollution (Cabinet Decision 12/2006). No quantified nutrient, pesticide, or plastic-reduction target aligned with KMGBF framing is set.

Target 8: Climate and biodiversity — Addressed

Objective 18 commits that by 2018 action plans are developed and implementation commenced to reduce human impacts on sensitive marine ecosystems and improve climate resilience — an earlier deadline than the main 2021 horizon. Objective 11 couples ecosystem restoration to carbon-stock contributions (50% of degraded habitats by 2021). Projected warming of 2–5.5 °C by the end of the century and coastal flooding scenarios from 1,155 km² at 1 m sea-level rise to 4,984 km² at 9 m anchor the climate evidence base; coral bleaching documented in 1997, 2007, and 2010 informed the three-year MoEW–NYU Abu Dhabi–University of New Hampshire coral mapping study (2011–2013).

Target 9: Wild species use — Mentioned

Addressed indirectly through Objective 6 (traditional practices, knowledge, and innovations taken into account in policy and legislation by 2021) and through fisheries livelihoods under Federal Law No. (23) of 1999, which provides grants and loans to fishers for whom fishing is the sole source of income. No quantified wild-species-use target oriented to vulnerable populations is set; the UAE does not frame Indigenous peoples or local communities (IPLCs) as a distinct legal category, though Bedouin cultural practice is referenced.

Target 10: Agriculture / forestry — Addressed

Objective 15 commits that by 2021, 50% of governmental and private lands used for agriculture, aquaculture, and forestry are sustainably managed. Marine production is handled separately through Objective 14 (70% sustainable management of vulnerable marine resources). The legislative stack cited includes Federal Law No. (5) of 1979 on agricultural quarantine, Federal Law No. (38) of 1992 on nurseries and seedlings, Federal Law No. (17) of 2009 on new plant variety protection, Federal Law No. (39) of 1992 on fertilisers and pesticides, Federal Law No. (41) of 1992 on agricultural pest control agents, and Federal Law No. (9) of 2013 on plant genetic resources. The UAE acceded to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in 2004.

Target 11: Ecosystem services (NbS) — Addressed

Objectives 11 and 12 — treated in full under Target 2 — provide the principal coverage, with the NBSAP citing Millennium Ecosystem Assessment service categories and reference valuations including 30 billion US dollars per year for coral-reef fisheries and tourism and 58 billion for fisheries globally. Mangrove forests of approximately 120,000 hectares are identified as contributing to coastal erosion protection and greenhouse-gas absorption. The term "nature-based solutions" is not used; ecosystem-services framing is implicit through the restoration and carbon-stock objectives.

Target 12: Urban biodiversity — Mentioned

Urban expansion is discussed as a biodiversity pressure (population growth, modern consumptive lifestyles, road and infrastructure projects, industrial sprawl). Approximately 352 million m³ of treated sewage water is used for irrigating trees and green spaces. The NBSAP aligns with the UAE Green Development Strategy's urban planning pathway but sets no quantified green or blue urban-space target.

Target 13: Genetic resources / ABS — Addressed

Objective 13 commits that by 2021 important genetic resources are conserved and protected — a directional aspiration. Action lines include in-situ and ex-situ inventories, a management action plan, and legislation for access to and use of local genetic resources with benefit-sharing taking into account citizens' rights. The Cabinet has approved accession to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the Nagoya–Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol; Federal Law No. (9) of 2013 on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture is the first domestic instrument in this area. Digital sequence information (DSI) is not addressed; workshop outputs identify a by-law on genetic resources as an outstanding gap.

Target 14: Mainstreaming — Addressed

Mainstreaming is the first strategic pillar and is operationalised through Objectives 1 (75% citizen awareness by 2021), 2 (mainstreaming into planning and decision-making by 2021), and 4 (50% increase in institutions with sustainable production and consumption plans by 2021). The NBSAP is cross-referenced against UAE Vision 2021 and the five national strategies covering green development, water, desertification, marine and coastal environment, and biosecurity. Sectoral mainstreaming focuses on agriculture, forestry, marine fishing, aquaculture, and tourism.

Target 15: Business disclosure — Mentioned

Addressed indirectly through Objective 4's private-sector awareness action lines — raising awareness of methods for reducing or avoiding impacts on biodiversity and mainstreaming biodiversity into industry environmental management systems, performance standards, and guidance tools. No requirement or mechanism for large and transnational company disclosure of biodiversity dependencies, impacts, or risks is identified.

Target 16: Sustainable consumption — Addressed

Objective 4 commits that by 2021, the number of governmental and non-governmental institutions that have adopted sustainable production and consumption plans is increased by 50% — an institutional-adoption target rather than an outcome-level consumption target. Action lines include private-sector and community awareness raising and community participation in practical sustainable-management initiatives. No quantified food-waste or per-capita-footprint target is set.

Target 17: Biosafety — Addressed

Cabinet approval has been issued for accession to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya–Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol, with MoEW working with partners on federal laws, implementing regulations, and programmes. Biosafety is handled through the GMO sub-component of Objective 17 — developing an integrated risk management framework for trade in alien species including GMOs, and establishing a national GMO committee — combined with the standalone UAE Biosecurity Strategy built on three objectives: reducing biological-agent risk, building detection capacity, and building response capacity.

Target 18: Harmful subsidies — Addressed

Objective 3 commits that by 2021, incentives including subsidies harmful to biological diversity are eliminated, phased out, or reformed, and positive incentives are developed and applied, taking into account social, economic, and cultural impacts — a directional aspiration with no monetary figure. Action lines include shared or integrated incentive mechanisms between national and local entities for sustainable land, freshwater, and marine practices, and biodiversity-specific awards for private-sector, entrepreneur, and public-benefit association contributions.

Target 19: Finance mobilisation — Addressed

Objective 20 commits that by 2016 sufficient financial, human, and technical resources are allocated for effective implementation of the strategy at federal and local levels — a directional aspiration without a monetary quantum, and with an earlier deadline than the main 2021 horizon. Action lines include coordinating with emirate authorities for local-level financial allocations and encouraging private-sector and public-benefit association contributions. The SWOT analysis lists available funding for conservation projects and rehabilitation programmes as a strength; workshop outputs flag a "Resource Mobilisation Strategy" as an outstanding gap. No quantified biodiversity-finance figure is set.

Target 20: Capacity and technology — Addressed

Directive 5 covers capacity and co-operation. Objective 19 commits to federal adoption and commenced implementation by 2016; Objective 21 commits to effective and consistent implementation of biodiversity-related agreements by 2021, with annual reports and a comprehensive strategy review three years after adoption. Capacity-building threads across Objectives 5 and 8 and is formalised through the three-step pathway (rapid needs assessment, MoEW and partner training programme drawing on GCC experience, delivery through formal education and on-the-job training). Targeted training areas include protected-areas management, Red List development, ecosystem valuation, invasive alien species management, and survey methods. Technology-transfer commitments are not expressed in quantified form.

Target 21: Data and information — Addressed

Objective 5 commits that by 2021, the status and trends of the main elements of biodiversity are assessed, monitored, and linked to decision-making. Action lines include an environmental monitoring system providing spatial understanding of marine species, fish stocks, habitats, and mitigation effectiveness, and strengthened biodiversity information systems across federal and competent agencies. A national Clearing-House Mechanism is established under CBD Article 18.3. Workshop outputs inventory existing datasets across habitats, species, water quality, and soil/coral maps with custodians including MoEW, EAD, AGEDI, universities, FAO, ICARDA, ROPME, GBIF, OBIS, WDPA, and the IUCN Red List — alongside gaps including the absence of a national centralised biodiversity database and weak sharing across federal and emirate agencies.

Target 22: Inclusive participation — Mentioned

Addressed indirectly through Objective 6 (traditional practices, knowledge, and innovations taken into account in policy and legislation by 2021) and through the strategy's participatory development process involving federal ministries, emirate authorities, the private sector, public-benefit associations, universities, research centres, and international organisations. The UAE does not recognise Indigenous peoples or local communities (IPLCs) as a distinct legal category. Women, youth, and persons with disabilities are not addressed as distinct categories; the stakeholder map flags farmers, fishers, Bedouin local peoples, NGOs, academia, and private landowners among constituencies to be further engaged.

Target 23: Gender equality — Not identified

Content addressing GBF Target 23 was not identified in this NBSAP.