PHOTO
After conquering outer space, the UAE has embarked on a new mission to explore the country’s marine ecosystem in a bid to preserve the natural habitat for future generations.
Global ocean exploration nonprofit OceanX has launched the mission, in partnership with The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), tech holding company G42 and the UAE capital’s Open Data platform, Bayanat, with the first half of the explorative journey kicking off earlier this week before coming to a pause on November 23 in time for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also know as COP28 commencing. The second half of the journey will launch on December 15 for 10 days in UAE waters.
The mission will develop a comprehensive map of the UAE’s ocean environment for the first time and conduct assessments to create environmentally sustainable fishing tools and methods, a release stated.
OceanX’s OceanXplorer, an advanced research vessel, which includes manned submersibles, ROVs, and acoustic mapping sonars, will create a baseline of the UAE’s aquatic ecosystems such as seafloor geology, nutrient levels, and megafauna population. This baseline will reveal a complete picture of the UAE’s deep-sea environment ever and provide scientific knowledge about how life can adapt to severe climates and the resulting implications for the future of the ocean.
EAD will share insights and data found using its research vessel Jaywun, the UAE’s first dedicated research ship crafted for the conditions of the Arabian Gulf.
(Writing by Bindu Rai, editing by Seban Scaria)
