Sultan bin Ahmed attends opening of Conservation Summit at Xposure

Sharjah 24

24-02-2025

This year's summit focused on migration and the pressing challenges threatening our future. It was a clarion call that also showcased the role of photography and storytelling in bolstering conservation efforts.
Setting the tone for climate efforts
Highlighting the UAE's conservation efforts, Her Excellency Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, spoke about the country's leadership in sustainability. "Migration does not recognise borders: creatures travel thousands of miles to live and regenerate. If species stop migrating, it is a dangerous indicator for all of us. Through the lenses of the photographers participating in Xposure, we can clearly see how current migration patterns reflect the health of our environment and nature, and how these changes affect the ecosystems around us', she said.
'In the UAE, we are fully aware of our responsibility to protect our planet and preserve its biodiversity. We host the Regional Office of the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species, which has spearheaded numerous successful initiatives to protect species such as birds of prey and dugongs. We also provide a safe haven for many migratory species', she added.
She also highlighted the UAE's 49 natural protected areas that represent more than 15% of the country's total land area, and policies aimed at safeguarding biodiversity, including efforts to mitigate climate change's pervasive impact. Additionally, the UAE has maintained its leadership in marine protected areas, expanding to 16 zones that account for over 12% of its coastal region; well above the global average of 7.5%. 'Nature is sending us warning signs, and we need creative policies and collective efforts to protect migration and the natural environment,' Dr Al Dahak asserted.
Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), set an urgent tone, presenting migration as an ancient rhythm of life now at risk due to human interference and climate change. 'Migration has been the heartbeat of our planet, and when we protect it, we protect the future of all life, including our own.'
She went on to emphasise the importance of the diverse efforts being undertaken by Sharjah, noting: 'What brings us together today at this summit today is our commitment to taking concrete steps towards new solutions. Change is possible, and humanity is capable of restoring nature's balance. Here in Sharjah, we have many nature reserves that serve as safe destinations for these birds, including Wasit Reserve, which shelters more than two hundred species of migratory birds, thereby reviving their natural habitat.'
She underscored Xposure's efforts to amplify conservation by blending visual media with actionable initiatives.
'Cameras not only document the magic of nature but convey the message of preservation - for both birds and humankind. Our responsibility is to create a future where birds fly without fear,' she concluded.
The global journey of shorebirds
The opening keynote talk, delivered by distinguished American wildlife photographer, cinematographer, and conservationist Gerrit Vyn, delved into the world of shorebirds: tiny yet extraordinary travellers whose migrations constitute some of nature's most astonishing feats. 'This bird weighs about as much as a slice of bread, yet it might travel 10,000 kilometres from Venezuela to the Arctic tundra, finding the exact same nest depression each year,' Vyn explained, intertwining scientific insight with an intimate portrayal of their lives.
The producer for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology spotlighted the incredible resilience of species like the bar-tailed godwit, which migrates 11,000 kilometres non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand. 'Right before migration, their digestive systems shrink to allow for more muscle and fat: a stunning adaptation to unimaginable journeys over open ocean.' Yet, their survival is tethered to fragile habitats, like China's Yellow Sea, rapidly vanishing due to reclamation. 'When birds lose these critical stopover sites, they lose their chance to refuel, and the entire migration system begins to fail.'
Amid today's escalating conservation challenges, Vyn urged the role of visual storytelling to inspire action. He shared an emotional turning point when Chinese officials announced a halt to land reclamation in crucial shorebird habitats. 'One day, we all woke up… and the Chinese President had declared a moratorium on all new coastal reclamation projects, including a massive project that was going to impact the area inhabited by sandpipers. We have heard for years that the films and media we produced was instrumental in achieving this decision. We couldn't have done it without the education combined with that emotional piece of storytelling that really gets people to notice and care.'
Monarch butterflies – the pollinators of hope
Spanish photographer and conservationist Jaime Rojo shifted the lens to North America, where monarch butterflies face a sharp decline of 90% in just 30 years. 'This iconic butterfly has one of the most iconic migration journeys in the animal world. But it's becoming increasingly difficult'.
Monarchs today struggle amid increasing industrial agriculture, pesticide use, urban sprawl, and climate disruption. 'Milkweed, their critical host plant, has disappeared by 60% in the American Midwest, mirroring an 80% decline in monarch populations in just a decade. It's heartbreaking!'
Yet, Rojo highlighted hopeful conservation efforts, from Indigenous groups in Mexico to backyard gardeners in Chicago. 'This is a rare conservation story where everyone - from scientists to citizens - plays a tangible role. Every little habitat counts.'
Oceans are the unsung heroes of our planet
Marine conservationist and environmental photojournalist Ralph Pace took the audience beneath the waves - to migrations vital not just for marine biodiversity but for addressing climate change. 'The ocean absorbs 30% of our excess carbon and 90% of the heat we produce, making it humanity's unsung hero.'
Pace spotlighted megafauna like sea turtles and whales, ecosystem engineers whose movements fertilise ocean waters and regulate ecosystems. 'Whales literally act as carbon pumps, transferring nutrients as they migrate and even sequestering carbon when they die and sink to the ocean floor.'
However, many of these migrations are under siege. 'We lost 3 million whales to whaling; sea turtle hatchlings are now 99% female due to warming sands. For leatherback sea turtles, fisheries are a gauntlet. We must recognise and protect the role these creatures play in keeping the planet alive.'
Pace ended on a hopeful note, encouraging a rethinking of how humanity engages with the ocean. 'We must see the ocean not as a victim but as a tool. We can use it to have good carbon sinks, and we need these places now more than ever.'
Tying together passionate speeches and expert insights from renowned conservation photographers, the Conservation Summit spotlighted the environment's most urgent battles, and how mankind can fight them with creativity, cooperation, and action.