Connect with Nature was launched in 2019, co-founded by Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Emirates Nature-WWF, with the purpose to educate and empower youth in the UAE to learn more about nature and conservation through experiences and create a supporting community.
Our vision is to see UAE youth putting nature at the centre of decision-making and lead the movement towards an optimistic future for our planet.
We hope that the programme encourages a new generation of people to discover the natural wonders of the UAE while building the leadership skills necessary to uphold the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
FOUNDING PARTNERS
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) started as a small group of pioneering ecologists in 1996 working in the harsh desert environment, EAD has grown – breaking down barriers and pushing the limits of science and conservation.
EAD is now the largest environmental regulator in the Middle East, continuing the strong legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan by exemplifying his values of conservation.
EAD’s proudest achievements include setting up the Sheikh Zayed Protected Areas Network, recording 100 unknown invertebrate species and leading the region in banning gargour fishing nets – while their mandate is focused on regulation and direction of policy with transparency.
Emirates Nature-WWF 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. It is a non-profit organisation established to drive positive change in the UAE to conserve the nation’s natural heritage. We work in association with WWF, one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, present in 100 countries and supported by 5 million members.
As a local conservation think tank and volunteer platform, we empower, convene and mobilise civil society, government and business to support the UAE’s sustainability agenda and deliver transformative impact at scale for the benefit of people and planet alike.
For two decades, Emirates Nature–WWF has been a prominent and active partner in environmental conservation in the MENA region.