Haifa University partners with UAE to protect oceans

Haifa University is working with the UAE and Germany to tackle climate change in our oceans.

It signed a five-year research plan at the annual UN climate conference COP27 Last week investigated the consequences of climate change and pollution in the Eastern Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf.

Together with the University of the United Arab Emirates and the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, it will develop strategies to prevent further deterioration of the region’s marine ecosystems.

Researchers will use advanced ocean observation technologies, such as new cameras, chemical sensors and underwater vehicles, to predict future ocean responses to climate change and pollution.

They will continue to develop models to determine the future of the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf.

The world’s oceans are increasingly facing widespread pressures related to climate change and pollution. The Eastern Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf are severely affected by issues such as ocean warming, desalination plant expansion, deep-sea energy development, shipping intensification, tourism expansion, and geopolitical instability.

Despite this, the impact of these pressures on marine ecosystems is not well understood.

The new agreement is an extension of the existing partnership between the University of Haifa and GEOMAR. Earlier this year, they launched a five-year joint initiative to design an early warning modeling system to understand what climate change in the Mediterranean tells us about the future state of the global ocean.

UAE University’s participation in the project, and the initiative’s use of the Arabian Gulf as part of its research, will further enhance the understanding of the region’s marine systems and foster closer ties between participating countries.

Professor Ron Robin, Rector of the University of Haifa, said: “Our new tripartite collaboration represents a key step in the University of Haifa’s framework for national and regional leadership in environmental and marine sustainability.”

“This will not only expand the existing partnership between GEOMAR and the University of Haifa, but also strengthen regional and international cooperation more generally.

“This project will greatly advance the understanding of marine systems and will build bridges between the three countries. We feel we have made history and are moving towards a more sustainable future.”