The UAE National Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan (NISSAP) 2022- 2026 (PDF, 10.6 MB) aims to protect the UAE’s natural resources, the environment and the communities from the impact of invasive alien species (IAS). Further, it seeks to:

• improve public awareness of IAS
• enhance capacity for managing IAS
• prevent the introduction and spread of IAS
• manage established priority IAS
• enhance and strengthen cooperation and coordination to combat invasive alien species at the national, regional and international levels.

The strategy includes an overview of the current situation of invasive species in the UAE and identifies the processes for their management.

Ministry of Climate Change and Environment will implement the NISSAP in cooperation with key stakeholders. Emirates Climate Change and Environment Council will assess its progress annually.

What are invasive alien species (IAS)?

According to the Strategy, any plant, animal, or any other organism that is non-native to an ecosystem and may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health is called invasive alien species (IAS).