The new innovative Fonseca Leadership Program launched by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) supports the professional development of promising young conservationists from developing countries.

The program includes conservation fellowships, grants for biodiversity field work, awards for participation in international conservation events, and a recurrent global conservation symposium bringing together young environmental leaders.

The GEF is a multilateral family of funds dedicated to confronting biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution, and supporting land and ocean health. Its financing enables developing countries to address complex challenges and work towards international environmental goals. The partnership includes 186 member governments as well as civil society, Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth, with a focus on integration and inclusivity. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided nearly $25 billion in financing and mobilized another $138 billion for country-driven priority projects. The family of funds includes the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund, Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF), and Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency Trust Fund (CBIT).

view partner projects page

The Mubadala Investment Company is an Emirati state-owned holding company that acts as one of the sovereign wealth funds of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The company was established in 2017 when then-named Mubadala Development Company (now Mamoura Diversified Global Holding) and the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) merged. They manage a diverse portfolio of assets and investments in the United Arab Emirates and abroad, to generate sustainable financial returns for its shareholder, the Government of Abu Dhabi. Mubadala is investing and partnering at the leading edge of global growth and innovation to create opportunities for future generations.

view partner projects page

Dolphin Energy Limited’s Dolphin Gas Project is a major regional strategic energy initiative. Since July 2007, the company has been producing, processing, and supplying substantial quantities of natural gas from offshore Qatar to the UAE and Oman via its dedicated sub-sea export pipeline.

Through proactive environmental management and a focus on new technologies, Dolphin Energy is supporting global climate action by focusing on decarbonization, environmental protection, energy efficiency, and resource conservation. In addition, the company is transforming its long-standing sustainability commitments, aligning them to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives across its entire business. It also continues to sponsor and support important environmental programs in the communities in which it operates.

Dolphin Energy Limited is owned 51 percent by Mubadala Investment Company, on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi – and 24.5 percent each by TotalEnergies and Occidental Petroleum.

view partner projects page

The National Aquarium, located at Al Qana in Abu Dhabi, is set to be the largest aquarium in the Middle East and is home to 46,000 creatures spread across 10 zones. The National Aquarium’s mission is to create a memorable moment for people to reconnect with nature. The Aquarium is designed to provide live experiences, community engagement, and hands-on involvement in preserving the local biodiversity and heritage to build a more sustainable future.

Education is at the core of The National Aquarium, with an entire department dedicated to engaging and enhancing the visitor’s experience, and the capacity to welcome up to 50,000 students a year. This unrivalled journey around the world is brought to visitors by a multidisciplinary team of 80 professionals coming from all over the world, including sea-life experts, curators, trained educators, and engineers who are specialized in public aquaria.

For more information, please visit www.thenationalaquarium.ae online, @thenationalaq on Instagram, and The National Aquarium on Facebook.

view partner projects page