UAE strengthens its Arctic and Antarctic presence through treaties, polar research programmes and record-setting expeditions in climate science.
ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates is making bold strides in polar research by securing treaty access, forming global partnerships, and launching exploratory missions in both the Arctic and Antarctic. These efforts reflect the country’s growing role in advancing climate change science and strengthening global environmental cooperation.
The UAE officially joined the Antarctic Treaty System under Federal Decree No. 165 of 2024, gaining the ability to attend consultative meetings and initiate its own scientific projects in Antarctica. In a parallel move, Federal Decree No. 164 of 2024 granted the UAE observer status on the Arctic Council, allowing Emirati researchers to engage in northern polar environmental discussions and collaborate on scientific programmes.
In early 2025, the UAE continued its scientific momentum with several key collaborations. Emirati experts from meteorology and seismology teamed up with the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute to install two advanced monitoring stations. These installations are helping to collect crucial data on atmospheric and seismic activity across the continent. The UAE’s involvement was further solidified through participation in Bulgaria’s 34th Antarctic expedition in November, where research supported by the UAE Polar Programme was expanded at the Bulgarian base.
To further boost its presence, the UAE signed memoranda of understanding with Argentina and New Zealand to promote academic exchanges, joint studies, and institutional cooperation. These agreements are expected to help the UAE establish permanent laboratories at both poles, strengthening national expertise in polar science and global climate action.
Alongside scientific contributions, the UAE has made waves with historic achievements in polar exploration. This month, 18-year-old Fatima Abdulrahman Al Awadhi became the youngest Arab woman to summit Mount Vinson, Antarctica’s highest peak. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Sharaf Al Hashemi completed the first circular helicopter flight around Antarctica, a 19,050-kilometre feat that began and ended at Union Glacier Camp.
These individual accomplishments build on the legacy of Abdullah Al-Ahbabi, the first Emirati to complete the polar hat-trick: skiing unsupported to the North Pole, South Pole, and across Greenland, completed in March 2025.
Through these efforts, the UAE is not only advancing its environmental diplomacy but also building a robust scientific foundation in polar research that contributes meaningfully to global climate resilience.
