Behavioral science lies at the heart of Healthy Living’s approach, enabling a deeper understanding of how people make decisions in real-world contexts, and translating those insights into practical and targeted interventions. This ensures that Healthy Living initiatives are grounded in evidence and relevant to the lived realities of Abu Dhabi’s population.

His Excellency Dr Ahmed AlKhazraji, Executive Director of Healthy Living at the Department of Health, said: “One-size-fits-all approaches rarely deliver lasting impact– they don’t reflect the different ways people live their lives or the unique realities they navigate every day. Meaningful and sustainable behavioral change starts with listening – understanding the choices people face, and the environments that shape those choices. At Healthy Living, our focus is on translating these insights into action – designing policies, systems, and environments that respond directly to people’s needs.

“Through our collaboration with BSG, we are better able to understand communities’ needs and identify gaps in services they need. This approach helps inform what we design and deliver, ensuring interventions are targeted, effective, and focused on where they can achieve the greatest and most lasting impact for generations to come.”

Rasha Attar, Director of BSG at the Office of Development Affairs, said: “Since its inception, Healthy Living recognized the value of behavioral science in policy and has taken an evidence-led approach to shaping its initiatives. This collaboration is helping to build locally grounded insights that inform decision-making, support healthier outcomes across Abu Dhabi, and contribute to the growing international evidence base for behavioral science in policy”.

BSG’s work supported the development of Nutri-Mark, a front-of-pack nutrition grading label launched by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre. The system classifies packaged food products from Grade A (highest nutritional value) to Grade E (lowest), enabling consumers to compare items within the same category and make more informed choices.

A key milestone in the collaboration has been the evaluation of front-of-package nutrition labels using BSG’s simulated online supermarket. The study, which engaged 2,733 UAE residents, found that product placement and clear labelling significantly influenced purchasing behavior, particularly staple items such as bread, where healthier options were more frequently selected.

Complementary research involving 4,000 UAE residents further demonstrated that nutritional labelling improves consumer understanding, increases the intention to choose healthier options, and generates positive sentiment. At the same time, the findings highlighted persistent misconceptions around dietary balance, reinforcing the importance of continued public awareness and education efforts.

This need is further reinforced by research conducted by BSG and Healthy Living, which assessed the impact of calorie labelling and food promotion on consumer choices in a simulated food environment involving 5,002 UAE residents. The study found that calorie labels, when combined with additional nutritional information, can significantly reduce the number of calories ordered. On average, participants selected approximately 114 fewer calories per meal, and 94 per cent supported the implementation of calorie labelling on menus.

Healthy Living, in partnership with the BSG, will continue to apply behavioral science to inform policy, strengthen research, and deliver targeted interventions that drive system-level change, shaping environments, expanding access, and making healthier choices easier and more natural in everyday life, while generating insights to support and inform similar initiatives across the UAE.

Drawing on insights gained from more than 500 completed projects, K4 has identified three trends that it expects will shape the sector through 2027, as developers and clients increasingly prioritise speed, performance and sustainability.

“Completing 500 projects is an important milestone for K4, but it also gives us a unique perspective on how the market is evolving,” said Joakim Kihlstrom, Founder of K4 Group. “At K4, our smallest department is Sales because we don’t believe in selling, we believe in delivering. We invest our resources into building an elite engineering and production engine rather than a traditional sales force. Today, we have an 800-person operation built to prove that even the most complex projects can be delivered with precision, speed and uncompromising quality. The conversations we’re having with clients today are very different from those we were having five years ago. Delivery certainty, material performance and sustainability have become central to every project, and those priorities will continue to shape the future of the UAE’s fit-out sector.”

The first trend K4 expects to accelerate is the adoption of off-site prefabrication. As project timelines become increasingly compressed, the company is seeing growing demand for construction methods that improve efficiency without compromising quality. By 2027, K4 expects more developers to embrace factory-manufactured components, including joinery, ceiling systems and bathroom pods, enabling faster installation, greater quality control and reduced project risk.

The second trend is the shift towards performance-led material selection. While aesthetics remain important, clients are increasingly prioritising materials that deliver measurable long-term performance in the Gulf’s climate. Factors such as humidity resistance, thermal expansion, durability and lifecycle value are becoming key considerations across both residential and commercial developments, reflecting a broader move towards performance-driven design.

The third trend is the evolution of sustainability from a competitive advantage into a business necessity. As environmental regulations continue to evolve across the UAE, K4 expects sustainability to become embedded throughout every stage of project delivery, driving greater demand for low-waste construction methods, responsibly sourced materials and high-efficiency MEP systems that support long-term operational performance.

Looking ahead to 2027, K4 believes the companies that embrace smarter construction methods, prioritise high-performance materials and integrate sustainability into every stage of project delivery will be best positioned to meet evolving client expectations and establish new benchmarks for the UAE’s fit-out industry.

“These trends are no longer future concepts; they are already influencing the decisions our clients are making today,”Kihlstrom added. “Businesses investing in these capabilities now will be the ones leading the next generation of fit-out projects across the UAE.”

The milestone also reflects the growing sophistication of the UAE’s fit-out market, where success is increasingly measured not only by the finished space, but by the quality, efficiency and long-term value delivered throughout the construction process. Having completed more than 500 projects across multiple sectors, K4 believes the industry is entering a new era in which innovation, performance and sustainability will become the defining measures of excellence.

The inauguration ceremony of UNIC Athens was attended by senior government and institutional leadership, underscoring the strategic significance of the initiative at a national and regional level. Attendees included His Excellency Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, His Excellency Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus, Sofia Zacharaki, Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports of the Hellenic Republic, and Athina Michaelidou, Minister of Education, Sport and Youth of the Republic of Cyprus.

The ceremony was also attended by His Excellency Dr Ali Obaid Ali Al Dhaheri, Ambassador of the UAE to the Hellenic Republic, Shaista Asif, Group CEO of PureHealth, Panagiotis Skandalakis, President of the Council of UNIC Athens, Philippos Pouyioutas, Rector of the University of Nicosia, and Antonis Polemitis, CEO of University of Nicosia and Chairman of the Board of Directors at UNIC Athens, alongside other senior members of PureHealth Group, government stakeholders, and leaders across the education and healthcare sectors.

The university is a direct extension of PureHealth’s global strategy to integrate care delivery, research and education within a single operating model. Drawing on its international clinical network and scale across multiple markets, PureHealth is actively shaping a new approach to medical education that reflects how modern healthcare systems are designed and delivered. This enables the transfer of expertise, clinical standards and operational capabilities from UAE, Cyprus, and Greece, supporting the continued advancement of its healthcare ecosystem.

His Excellency Dr. Al Dhaheri said: “The establishment of this medical university demonstrates the strength of the strategic partnership between the UAE and the Hellenic Republic, and our shared commitment to advancing innovation in vital sectors such as healthcare and education. The initiative also represents a forward-looking investment in fostering talent, knowledge exchange, and achieving sustainable development.”

Shaista Asif said: “Healthcare is entering a new phase, where clinical practice, data and technology are becoming increasingly interconnected. This requires a fundamental shift in how we develop talent. This university reflects our strategy to invest in the long-term foundations of healthcare, strengthening our ability to develop tech enabled talent, advance research and integrate education more closely with care delivery. As we expand across Europe amid a growing shortage of healthcare professionals, this allows us to build scale, develop talent across markets and ensure greater consistency in clinical standards across our network, while unlocking operational efficiencies.”

Sofia Zacharaki said: This marks an important milestone for the future of higher education in Greece. It reflects a broader national effort to strengthen the international outlook, quality and competitiveness of the Greek education system. Through a robust and transparent framework, we are enabling internationally recognised institutions to establish a meaningful presence in our country, reinforcing Greece’s position as an emerging hub for academic excellence, innovation and knowledge exchange in the wider region.”

Panagiotis Skandalakis said: “Our ambition is to set a new standard for how medicine is taught. By embedding artificial intelligence into the core of the curriculum and integrating learning across both clinical and real-world environments, we are preparing doctors to operate in healthcare systems where data, technology and clinical practice are fully connected.”

The launch builds on the growing strategic partnership between the UAE and Greece, following the UAE-Greece Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed in 2020 and reflecting deepening collaboration across investment, innovation and key sectors including healthcare and education. It also aligns with the UAE’s broader national priorities, including We the UAE 2031 and Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which emphasise the development of advanced healthcare systems, global partnerships and future-ready talent.

The university is designed to address two critical challenges shaping the future of healthcare in Europe: the growing shortage of healthcare professionals across Europe, which is expected to face a shortfall of up to one million workers by 2030, and the accelerating transformation of healthcare driven by artificial intelligence and data. As PureHealth expands its European footprint through both organic and inorganic growth, the institution serves as a core pillar in building workforce capacity at scale, linking education, clinical practice and research to support long-term system sustainability and the evolving demands of modern care.

Students will be trained within an integrated environment where research, technology and clinical practice are closely aligned, with exposure to real-world ‘living lab’ environments. Students will also benefit from access to PureHealth’s clinical infrastructure in Greece, which serves more than 1.3 million patients annually, providing hands-on clinical training opportunities within an established healthcare network.

The university will also establish talent exchange programmes with leading institutions in the UAE, enabling knowledge transfer and creating mobility pathways for students and healthcare professionals across key markets.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 2026: In a city defined by fast-paced lifestyles and high performance, more Dubai residents are no longer waiting to get sick before taking action. Instead, there is a growing shift towards preventative, personalised healthcare, focused on understanding the body early and addressing issues before they escalate.

From chronic fatigue and hormonal imbalance to skin concerns and low immunity, many of today’s most common health concerns are driven by lifestyle, stress, and underlying imbalances rather than acute illness. Traditional, reactive models often address symptoms at a later stage, something an increasing number of patients are now moving away from in favour of more preventative, insight-led care.

According to research conducted by independent research firm Censuswide in 2025, 92% of UAE residents now consider taking control of their health a top personal priority. For many, this reflects something deeper than a lifestyle trend. It speaks to a growing awareness that the body rarely announces its imbalances loudly, and that waiting for symptoms to appear is no longer a strategy that sits comfortably with how people in the city choose to live.

At the centre of this shift is Sequoia Clinic, a Dubai-based wellness and longevity clinic reflecting a broader evolution in how healthcare is approached in the region. Positioned between clinical medicine and premium wellness, the clinic offers a more considered model of care built around prevention, personalisation, and long-term outcomes.

Central to this is the Sequoia Assessment, a two-part consultation designed to move beyond traditional, transactional healthcare. Combining in-depth clinical evaluation with advanced diagnostics, the process builds a clear, personalised picture of each patient before treatment begins.

The first consultation explores medical history, lifestyle, sleep, nutrition, and physical activity, forming the foundation for targeted testing. This may include both conventional laboratory analysis and more advanced assessments such as hormone profiling, gut health analysis, and genetic and epigenetic testing. Once results are available, a second consultation translates this data into clear, actionable guidance, with customised recommendations across lifestyle, nutrition, and stress, alongside a tailored treatment plan.

“Across the region, we are seeing a clear shift away from reactive healthcare,” says Anna Wibage, CEO of Sequoia Clinic. “Patients want to understand what is happening in their body, why it is happening, and how to address it in a way that is sustainable over time.”

Supporting this model is an integrated approach that combines in-clinic care with flexible at-home services. Designed for time-poor, high-performance individuals, the clinic offers IV therapy, intramuscular injections, personalised facials, and teleconsultations at home, providing a discreet and convenient way to access care without compromising on quality.

This holistic philosophy also extends to aesthetic treatments, where skin concerns are assessed in the context of internal health, reflecting a growing shift towards results that are not only visible, but supported from within.

As Dubai continues to evolve as a global hub for high-performance living, this shift towards preventative, personalised healthcare is becoming increasingly relevant. For many residents, health is no longer something to manage reactively, but something to optimise continuously.

With its focus on depth, data, and long-term outcomes, Sequoia Clinic represents a new direction in how healthcare is experienced in the region, one that prioritises understanding before treatment, and prevention over reaction.For further information or to arrange a visit, please contact Sequoia Clinic via WhatsApp on 050 464 8513 or by landline on 04 267 4497. Full details are available at sequoiaclinic.ae

March 28, 2026; Dubai, UAE: DAMAC Properties, the largest private real estate developer in the UAE and the Middle East, has urged more than 300,000 residents staying across its communities and team members to participate in ‘Earth Hour 2026’. The annual sustainability initiativeis part of a global movement highlighting the urgent need for climate awareness and energy conservation.

On Saturday, March 28, DAMAC communities and towers across Dubai will go dark by switching off lights for one hour, starting 8.30pm. The initiative is supported by community engagement teams and sustainability champions from LOAMS, the award-winning, jointly owned property and community management company.

DAMAC’schampioning of Earth Hour reinforces its commitment to building a sustainable future. Switching off lights for one hour across 50,000 homes has an impact equivalent to planting 200 trees that thrive for a decade. It saves 10,800 kWhr, equal to 4900kg of carbon dioxide emissions.

Patricia Torres, a resident of DAMAC Hills 2, noted: “It is motivating to see our community united for a meaningful cause. Earth Hour helps us appreciate how simple actions taken together can create real and lasting change. We look forward to playing our part by switching off lights and make a positive impact in the fight against climate change.”

Earth Hour, organised by WWF, is a global grassroots movement that started as a lights-out event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then, it has grown to engage millions of supporters globally. As the movement grows, the one-hour lights out event continues to be the symbol of a broader commitment toward nature and our planet.

1788 – Cats Arrive with the First Fleet

European settlers brought domestic cats to Australia in 1788, mainly as pets and for pest control on ships. Within decades, cats were released or escaped, spreading across the continent. By the mid-1800s, feral cats had established populations in the wild.

Today, Australia has an estimated 2.1 to 6.3 million feral cats, and during peak conditions, numbers can reach over 10 million. These predators kill over 1.7 billion native animals every year, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Many species, such as the lesser bilby and desert bandicoot, are believed to have been driven to extinction in part due to cat predation.

Late 1800s – Dingoes and Domestic Dogs Collide

Dingoes, Australia’s native wild dog, have been part of the ecosystem for around 3,500–4,000 years. But in the late 1800s, European settlers began bringing large numbers of domestic dogs. Some escaped or were abandoned, forming feral populations that competed with dingoes and hunted native wildlife.

Today, feral dogs and dingo hybrids roam large parts of the continent. While dingoes play an ecological role by keeping kangaroo and rabbit populations in check, feral dogs often cause direct harm to livestock and wildlife. In northern Australia, packs of wild dogs can wipe out entire groups of wallabies or ground-dwelling birds in a single night.

20th Century – The Growing Toll of Feral Predators

By the early 20th century, Australia began to recognize the scale of the problem. Rabbits, foxes, cats, and dogs were devastating native species. Unlike rabbits (controlled with fences and viruses), cats and dogs proved nearly impossible to manage because of their intelligence and adaptability.

Studies show that cats now threaten over 124 species, while wild dogs threaten at least 36 species, many of them already endangered. Together, they are considered one of the leading drivers of Australia’s world-record rate of mammal extinctions.

1980s–2000s – Conservation Action and New Strategies

Efforts to control cats and dogs accelerated in the late 20th century. Programs included:

• Baiting and trapping campaigns across rural Australia.
• Fenced reserves (starting in the 1980s) to protect small marsupials from predators.
• Community initiatives to desex and contain domestic pets, reducing their spread into the wild.

Despite these measures, feral populations persisted. By the 2000s, research confirmed cats as a key factor in almost every mammal extinction since European arrival.

2015 – National Threat Abatement Plan for Feral Cats

In 2015, the Australian government launched a 10-year plan to cull 2 million feral cats by 2020. Methods included baiting with poisoned sausages (Eradicat) and aerial culling. While controversial, the program highlighted the urgency of protecting endangered species such as the night parrot and numbat.

Today – A Continuing Environmental Crisis

As of 2025, Australia faces a stark reality: cats and dogs remain among the top threats to biodiversity. Conservation scientists stress that:

• Feral cats cover 99.8% of the continent, including deserts and remote islands.
• Wild dogs (including dingo hybrids) kill not just wildlife, but also cause up to $100 million annually in livestock losses.
• At least 30 mammal species have gone extinct since 1788, many linked to predation by cats and dogs.

New strategies now focus on integrated approaches: combining predator-proof sanctuaries, advanced tracking technologies, community education, and stricter pet ownership laws.

Lessons for the Future

Australia’s battle with cats and dogs is not just about protecting wildlife — it is about restoring ecological balance. The timeline reveals that each introduction, whether intentional (cats for pest control) or accidental (dogs turning feral), had long-lasting and unforeseen consequences.

The lesson is clear: when ecosystems are fragile, even familiar animals like pets can become environmental threats. Australia’s story underscores the importance of careful management, global cooperation, and respect for natural balance in the fight against biodiversity loss.

Resources:

Australian Government – Feral Cats
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/invasive-species/feral-animals-australia/feral-cats

Woinarski, J.C.Z., et al. (2015). The contribution of cats to the extinction of Australian mammals. PNAS.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1500751112

Doherty, T.S., et al. (2017). Impacts and management of feral cats in Australia. Mammal Review.
https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12080

The Guardian (2020). Australia kills millions of feral cats each year. But how many more are out there?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/10/australia-kills-millions-of-feral-cats-each-year-but-how-many-more-are-out-there

UNESCO has announced the addition of 26 new biosphere reserves across 21 countries, expanding its global network to 785 sites in 142 nations. These reserves, some of the world’s richest yet most fragile ecosystems, balance the urgent need for biodiversity conservation with the socioeconomic and cultural needs of local communities.

“Biosphere reserves prove that conservation is not an obstacle to development but a pillar of it,” said António Abreu, head of the program. “Communities must be central to decision-making to avoid conflict and ensure long-term success.”

Biodiversity Hotspots in Focus

Among the newly designated sites are:

• Raja Ampat, Indonesia – Spanning 135,000 square kilometers, this archipelago harbors over 75% of Earth’s coral species, lush rainforests, and endangered sea turtles. Local livelihoods depend on fishing, aquaculture, small-scale farming, and eco-tourism.
• Snæfellsnes Biosphere Reserve, Iceland – Covering 1,460 square kilometers, this landscape of volcanic peaks, lava fields, and glaciers shelters seabirds, seals, and over 70% of Iceland’s plant life. Its 4,000+ residents rely on fishing, sheep farming, and tourism.
• Quiçama Biosphere Reserve, Angola – Stretching across 206 km of Atlantic coast, this sanctuary hosts elephants, manatees, turtles, and over 200 bird species. Communities sustain themselves through farming, fishing, honey production, and livestock herding.

Other examples include Príncipe Island in São Tomé and Príncipe, where mangroves have been restored to buffer storms and support ecotourism, and Pangatalan Island in the Philippines, where damaged coral reefs are regenerating thanks to aquaculture initiatives.

Communities as Partners

A defining feature of biosphere reserves is collaboration between scientists, governments, and residents. In many regions, locals have even helped identify new species, such as a recently discovered owl in Príncipe. Ecotourism, including guided bird-watching and biosphere trails, is emerging as a vital source of income while reinforcing conservation.

Climate Challenges

UNESCO warns that 60% of biosphere reserves face threats from climate change, including extreme weather, droughts, and sea-level rise. Satellite monitoring and digitized historical data are being deployed to guide adaptive strategies.

Still, challenges remain. For instance, Nigeria’s Omo Forest Reserve, home to critically endangered African forest elephants, is under pressure from expanding cocoa farming.

Global Context

These designations come as debates around international cooperation grow. The U.S., home to 47 biosphere reserves, announced it will withdraw from UNESCO in December 2026, raising concerns about global collaboration in conservation.

Despite political shifts, the expansion of the network underscores the growing recognition that safeguarding biodiversity is inseparable from building resilient economies and communities.