The UAE is rapidly establishing itself as a leader in the global space race but it is also making strides in a mission to explore some of the harshest environments on Earth.
Central to this quest is the Emirates Polar Programme, which puts Emirati scientists at the forefront of international research in Antarctica and the Arctic.
As President Sheikh Mohamed said at the programme's launch in 2023, the polar regions are sentinels of climate change, biodiversity and human resilience.
The need to protect them has never been more critical. They are experiencing the most rapid rates of warming on the planet, with far-reaching consequences for natural ecosystems and human activity worldwide.
'Third Pole'
The Arctic is not a continent but a frozen ocean capped by ice that expands and contracts with the seasons, and is bordered by eight sovereign countries.
Antarctica, by contrast, is. Much of it sits more than 500 metres above sea level, making it the coldest and highest continent on the planet, where temperatures can fall below minus 60°C in winter.
Antarctica has no permanent human population and supports only the most minimal form of terrestrial life. Yet it holds nearly 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater, preserved in ice built up over millions of years.
As global temperatures rise, changes in this ice are already reshaping oceans and coastlines far beyond the poles.
“The polar regions are the planet’s thermostat, that’s why they matter,” Wassim Said, of the Emirates Polar Programme Steering Committee, told The National. “They are geographically distant but they are very close from an impact perspective.”
However, the UAE’s polar thinking does not stop at the Arctic and Antarctica.
“There is also what scientists call the ‘Third Pole’,” said Dr Said, referring to the extensive glaciers and permanent ice across the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region.
“It’s not a single geographic point but a scientific term used to describe the largest mass of ice on Earth outside the two polar regions.”
Repair the world we have
Stretching across several countries, the region feeds major river systems and supports the livelihood of hundreds of millions of people. While only about four million people live north of the Arctic Circle, more than 250 million live in proximity to the Hindu Kush–Himalayan region.
“When ice cycles destabilise there,” said Dr Said, “you can see devastating flash floods followed by severe droughts. What happens in those mountains affects food systems, migration and stability across entire regions.”
The thinking behind the UAE’s polar engagement began forming in 2022, during a period of intense global focus on climate action.
“At the time, much of the global debate was focused on ‘Plan A’,” said Dr Said. “The emphasis was on repairing the world we have, rather than imagining a Plan B elsewhere.”
The programme began taking shape in 2022 and was launched in 2023. It has since moved from treaty accession to joint expeditions and active research partnerships across Antarctica and the Arctic.
'Boots on the ice'
A key point of difference between the UAE approach and others is the emphasis on science, whereas “for some it is maritime access, for others defence, security, or sovereignty”.
“We are here to collaborate with, and support, the scientific community,” he said. “That clarity reflects how the leadership thinks: in horizons, measured in decades – 10, 20, even 50 years ahead.”
Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty System, which reserves the continent for peaceful purposes and guarantees freedom of scientific investigation. The system freezes territorial claims, restricts military activity to peaceful purposes, bans mineral resource activity and imposes strict environmental protection on all human activity.
The UAE became the first Arab country to commit to conducting scientific research in Antarctica under this system.
“If you want to put boots on the ice, the multilateral groundwork comes first,” said Dr Said. “Scientific work in Antarctica is only possible within the framework of the Antarctic Treaty System.”
Climate change unfolding
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Dr Hussain Khansaheb, an Emirati marine engineer, took part in an Antarctic expedition to help raise awareness about climate change. All pictures: Dubai Holding -
Mr Khansaheb serves as Dubai Holding’s inaugural National Sustainability Champion, with his expedition part of the UAE's growing presence in the polar regions -
Mr Khansaheb wants to share lessons from his arduous journey with students in the UAE -
The UAE flag stands proud in the vast icy landscape of Antarctica -
Mr Khansaheb carries out work while on the challenging expedition
For Dr Hussain Khansaheb, an Emirati executive director of marine engineering at Dubai Holding Real Estate, Antarctica was not a destination he set out to reach but the opportunity is one he relishes.
“I didn’t go looking for this,” he said. “When I understood what the expedition stood for, I realised it was my opportunity to serve my country.”
Launched this year by Dubai Holding, the National Sustainability Champion programme aims to empower a new generation of Emirati sustainability leaders, as part of the initiative. Dr Khansaheb joined the expedition this month as part of a national sustainability initiative, travelling to Antarctica with British explorer Robert Swan − the first person to walk to both the North and South poles.
Dr Khansaheb's journey took him around 1,000km inland, deep into the continent’s interior. The group camped on ice, relying on solar energy, strict waste-removal protocol and minimal supplies. Everything, from food to human waste, had to be carried back.
“Antarctica forces discipline,” said Dr Khansaheb, executive director of marine engineering at Dubai Holding Real Estate.
“How you eat, how you sleep, how you manage waste, how you move – every detail matters.”
For the marine engineer, his most powerful moment came at the boundary between ocean and ice.
“I remember crossing from the sea to land and seeing white beaches releasing thousands of icebergs,” he said. “I thought about Dubai’s yellow sandy beaches and then these white shores. You see climate change not as data but unfolding in front of you.”
Antarctica, he said, strips the world back to its fundamentals.
“The mainland holds around 70 per cent of the planet’s freshwater. You are standing on ice hundreds of metres thick, sitting on mountains, carrying the future of coastlines everywhere.”
Opening horizons
For those helping run the programme, its significance extends beyond research. “It gives a lot of hope,” said Loulia Al Khatib of the Emirates Polar Programme. “I wish there had been something like this when I was in school − when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to study. It opens so many horizons.”
Alyazya Al Riyami, who also works with the programme, described the UAE’s role as one of collaboration.
“The UAE aims to be present in the polar regions for scientific research and collaboration through strategic partnerships,” she said, noting that seeing glaciers on the ground after attending the Arctic Circle Assembly made the science tangible.
Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, added: “We remain focused on deepening co-operation, driving innovative solutions, and supporting initiatives that strengthen resilience, promote stability and enable sustainable growth for communities worldwide.”
