UAE Becomes First Arab Country to Join Antarctic Research Committee

The UAE has become the first Arab country to join the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, connecting its polar science programme with an international network studying Antarctica and its role in the global climate system. Participation will be coordinated through the Emirates Polar Programme, launched in 2023, and the Polar Research Centre at Khalifa University.

Membership will allow UAE researchers to take part in international research and expert groups covering areas including ice-sheet dynamics, changes in the Southern Ocean, permafrost and geological history. Early-career scientists will also be able to access fellowships, research placements and international exchanges through the committee’s network.

Mariam Almheiri, chairwoman of the Emirates Polar Programme Steering Committee, said the membership would create new opportunities for Emirati scientists to work with leading research institutions and build national expertise in polar science. Khalifa University Earth scientist Dr Aisha Al Suwaidi added that the programme also intends to involve artists and storytellers alongside researchers to bring Antarctic science to wider audiences.

Antarctica holds nearly 70% of the world’s freshwater in its ice, making changes to its ice sheets and surrounding ocean significant for global sea levels and climate systems. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research said it expects UAE researchers to contribute to existing programmes and collaborative projects addressing those wider challenges.