UAE leads global polar climate efforts

The polar regions, embodied by the areas around the North Pole and South Pole, are enveloped with ethereal landscapes and frozen mysteries. From majestic glaciers, meandering sea ice, expansive polar deserts, and other mesmerising features, the polar region is crucial to the earth’s global climate enigma.

Though remote, the Arctic is home to nearly four million people, including Indigenous communities, hunters, herders, recent settlers, and urban residents, all of whom have adapted to life in its harsh and unique environment. This region is also teeming with over 21,000 species, including mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates, plants, fungi, and microbes, all specially adapted to survive in extreme cold environments.

The polar regions have long riveted explorers, scientists, and tourists mesmerised by its extraordinary beauty. The Arctic was first explored by the Vikings around the 10th century, with their settlement in Greenland lasting 500 years. However, significant exploration only began in the 16th century when Europeans sought new shipping routes. By the 19th century, exploration became more scientifically driven, led by well-known scientists and navigators seeking to understand the region’s geography and natural phenomena.

Today, the polar regions play a central role in influencing the Earth’s global ecosystem, bringing to the fore the necessity of engaging nations to expand its scientific research understanding to guide the crafting of important sustainability policies. Among the most pertinent challenges facing the region is the rapid warming that is slowly melting away ice caps and glaciers, which directly lead to rising sea levels and disrupting global ocean currents. In turn, these changes also affect weather patterns, biodiversity, and human livelihoods worldwide. Furthermore, polar regions store vast amounts of carbon in ice and permafrost, which, if released, could accelerate global warming.

The British Antarctic Survey emphasises the importance of studying changes in Earth’s ice sheets, such as those in Antarctica and Greenland, to predict fluctuations in global sea levels, which exacerbate flooding risks for coastal communities and infrastructure.

Teleconnections

Moreover, the polar ice caps act like giant mirrors, reflecting sunlight and helping to regulate the Earth’s temperature by preventing excessive heat absorption and absorbing carbon dioxide. Furthermore, polar regions influence global weather patterns through “teleconnections”, which link warming in the poles to extreme weather events, including storms, cyclones, droughts, and flooding.

However, polar research is fraught with challenges, primarily due to the extreme conditions found in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Researchers must contend with frigid temperatures, unpredictable weather, and months of darkness, all of which require advanced planning, resource management, and specialised technology and equipment.

Due to its typography and remote location, the cost of such expeditions is usually high and global resources dedicated to polar research are often limited. Furthermore, the logistics involved in polar research — such as transportation, food, fuel, equipment, safety measures, and communications — demand exceptional international collaboration to ensure research missions are successful.

The UAE has long been making strides in the realm of sustainability, showcased through its pivotal role in hosting the COP28 and the many strategic initiatives that aim to tackle climate change. A prime example of this is the “Emirates Polar Program”, an ambitious polar research project that aims to address global climate challenges by advancing scientific knowledge of the polar regions, which also has direct applications in addressing climate risks both in the UAE and internationally.

The project includes establishing the “Polar Research Center” at Khalifa University, which aims to undertake both independent and collaborative research on polar-related sciences, tackling the urgent challenges presented by climate change, environmental degradation, and the effects of human activities on polar ecosystems. It also aims to bridge knowledge gaps in polar sciences by studying the cryosphere, oceans, and landscapes, contributing to global efforts such as the 5th International Polar Year (2032-33).

The project also entails solidifying partnerships with the global community, signing strategic treaties, and participating in global polar missions. With two Emirati scientists already embarked on an Antarctic mission in November 2024, followed by another mission scheduled for the Arctic in 2025, the UAE is swiftly establishing itself as a leader in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable solutions worldwide.

Building bridges with the international science community is aimed at influencing policies that are important for the polar regions, such as securing funding programs for polar research, encouraging joint scientific expeditions, protecting biodiversity, and mitigating the impacts of climate change on melting ice caps and rising sea levels.

The UAE’s contributions to polar research significantly enhances global climate diplomacy by addressing critical knowledge gaps and devising effective solutions. The research could also shape the discussions around solutions on many relevant themes, such as understanding and forecasting extreme weather events spurred by changes in the polar regions, encouraging sustainable management of the regions’ natural resources, and unlocking economic opportunities.

The Emirates Polar Program is a testament to the UAE’s leadership in addressing the global climate crisis through groundbreaking polar research and collaboration. It emphasises the importance of nations embracing the interconnectedness of climate challenges and working collectively toward sustainable solutions.

By prioritising polar research, the UAE not only contributes valuable insights to global climate science but also encourages a concerted global response to preserve our planet for future generations.

Sara Al-Mulla is an Emirati civil servant with an interest in human development policy and literature