Abu Dhabi (UAE): Mubadala Investment Company, an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor, is today celebrating World Environment Day and the ongoing efforts and achievements of its partners the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (MBZ Fund) and Emirates Nature-WWF. 

In 2021 Mubadala committed $1.5 million annually for three years to support the MBZ Fund conservation efforts for the protection of endangered flora and fauna in Africa and Asia.  Mubadala’s contribution is focused on projects in countries where Mubadala and its portfolio companies have operations. In the UAE, Mubadala has led environmental efforts through its partnership with the Emirates Nature-WWF, an organization actively promoting a greener and cleaner planet by strengthening climate action.

Homaid Al Shimmari, Deputy Group CEO, Chief Corporate & Human Capital Officer, said: “Partnerships are at the core of everything we do at Mubadala, and prioritizing the protection of the planet is a key area of focus. We play an important role in raising awareness for environmental conservation. As a responsible investor, we will continue focusing our resources on sustainable transactions and ensuring we do our best to create a better tomorrow for generations to come.”

Razan Al Mubarak, Managing Director of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, and the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, commented: “In just over a year this remarkable partnership between the Mubadala and the MBZ Fund has delivered fabulous results. Species have been found after not being seen for decades, crucial data on the presence and absence of species has been collected enabling conservationists to develop and implement conservation action, and local communities have been engaged to protect their local species and their habitat. Furthermore, the support has enabled local conservationists to develop their own careers and local NGOs to implement conservation work.

Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, Director General, Emirates Nature-WWF, commented: “As we head into another year of partnership with Mubadala, we look forward to making further contributions to the UAE’s commitments at COP28 and climate-related policies, supporting the UAE’s Green Growth Strategy. Together, we are co-creating solutions that work for our unique landscape, all as part of our Leaders of Change program. Strong and sustained partnerships play a key role and by leveraging the strengths of these collaborations, we can achieve transformative impact at scale.”

Through its partnership with MBZ Fund, Mubadala focuses on countries where portfolio companies operate such as Guinea, Indonesia, and Thailand, which also represent some of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots. In Guinea, funds are directed to preserving endangered marine species including critically endangered marine turtles, threat assessments on the Atlantic humpbacked dolphin (Sousa teuszii), and the African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis).

In Indonesia, funds support the marine ecosystem, in particular coral reefs and seagrass, in the Makasaar Strait, as well as terrestrial ecosystems through wildcat conservation in Aceh Province. Furthermore, in Thailand, the support focuses on migratory wading birds - in particular the Spotted greenshank (Tringa guttifer), and their mud-flat and mangrove habitats in the northern Gulf of Thailand, and the Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), as well as other freshwater species located at Kaeng Krachan National Park.

The partnership highlights Mubadala’s commitment to responsible investing that drives positive impact and is the first of its kind in the region where corporate and conservation donor entities are collaborating to invest in preventing biodiversity loss.

In the UAE Mubadala’s long-standing collaboration with Emirates Nature-WWF aims to maintain and restore local natural heritage and biodiversity, address climate and air quality issues, lower carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency and promote renewable energy, among other priorities. Volunteer and training programs also contribute to the conservation blueprint of the UAE by providing members of the community with the opportunity to support on-ground initiatives and upskill their leadership capabilities in the process.

These strategic partnerships and initiatives reinforce Mubadala’s conviction to create positive change in the communities where it deploys capital and leaves lasting positive impact.

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About Mubadala Investment Company

Mubadala Investment Company is a sovereign investor managing a global portfolio, aimed at generating sustainable financial returns for the Government of Abu Dhabi.

Mubadala’s $284 billion (AED 1045 billion) portfolio spans six continents with interests in multiple sectors and asset classes. We leverage our deep sectoral expertise and long-standing partnerships to drive sustainable growth and profit, while supporting the continued diversification and global integration of the economy of the United Arab Emirates.   

For more information about Mubadala Investment Company, please visit:www.mubadala.com

About the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund

The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, based in Abu Dhabi, is a philanthropic endowment established in 2009 to provide small grants ($25,000 or less) to individual species conservation initiatives worldwide.

To date, the Fund has provided over $20m in financial support to more than 2,400 species conservation projects across more than 180 countries supporting more than 1,500 different species and subspecies.

The MBZ Fund’s reach in species conservation is global and it provides grants to all species types including amphibians, birds, fish, fungus, invertebrates, mammals, plants, and reptiles.

https://www.speciesconservation.org

About Emirates Nature–WWF

Emirates Nature–WWF is a non-profit organisation established to conserve the United Arab Emirates’ natural heritage and build a future where people and nature thrive. The organization was founded in 2001 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Governing Board of the Environment Agency—Abu Dhabi, as a legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed’s vision for the United Arab Emirates. For two decades, Emirates Nature–WWF has been a prominent and active partner in environmental conservation in the MENA region. We work in association with WWF, one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations. As a local conservation think-tank and pioneers of the “Leaders of Change” programme, the world’s first-ever digital membership platform for the environment – we empower, convene and mobilize civil society, government entities and businesses to support the UAE’s sustainability agenda and deliver transformative impact at scale for the benefit of people and planet alike. Learn more about the “Leaders of Change” programme at www.leadersofchange.ae and our various other projects at www.emiratesnaturewwf.ae.