The UAE has achieved a major milestone in global environmental preservation through the recent conclusion of "Operation Green Shield 2026." Over a 17-day period, authorities executed over 1,000 field missions, leading to the arrest of 839 suspects and the seizure of illegal assets and equipment valued at approximately $280 million. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, highlighted these achievements, emphasizing that the initiative serves as a powerful example of how international cooperation can effectively dismantle criminal networks operating within the Amazon Basin.

Launched in July, the operation brought together the UAE alongside Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil to tackle rampant environmental offenses in one of the planet's most vital ecosystems. This collaborative effort is a key pillar of the International Initiative for Law Enforcement for Climate (I2LEC), which the UAE founded in 2023 alongside the UNODC. By uniting multiple nations under a single operational framework, the UAE has demonstrated its dedication to sustainable development and reinforced a robust new model for fighting cross-border environmental crime to protect the Earth's natural resources for the future.