The 90-day stop order on USAID funding was announced quietly, wrapped in bureaucratic language. Three months. A temporary pause. Nothing to worry about. Except in the world of climate action, time is never on our side.
In those three months, conservation efforts stall, species lose vital protections and critical climate initiatives falter. A coral reef left unmonitored for a season can suffer irreversible bleaching. A mangrove forest, once promised restoration, remains vulnerable to rising tides. A coastal community expecting resilience support is left exposed to the next storm. But the damage is not limited to the environment.
This funding freeze has sent shockwaves far beyond climate action. Across the world, global health programmes have been thrown into uncertainty, leaving malaria treatments delayed and maternal health services disrupted. Humanitarian aid efforts have been suspended, food security programmes have been left without resources and countless initiatives designed to protect lives and livelihoods now hang in the balance. What was once a temporary policy decision has now spiraled into a global crisis affecting those who can least afford it.
As chaos unfolds across multiple sectors, one thing has become clear. The world cannot afford to be held hostage by policy shifts in one country. Lord Adair Turner has called for China, the EU and the UK to step up and form a climate coalition independent of the US, warning that the planet does not have the luxury of waiting. When a major player steps back, the responsibility falls on the rest of the world to push forward.
Here in Oman, we are already feeling the strain. The Environment Society of Oman’s Marine Turtle Conservation project has been directly affected. This long-term programme, supported by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, has been at the forefront of protecting some of the region’s most endangered marine species. For decades, it has safeguarded nesting sites, monitored turtle populations and worked alongside local communities to ensure these ancient creatures have a future in our waters.
Now, we are scrambling to find ways to keep this work going. Every survey, every community engagement and every protective measure is a battle against time and dwindling resources. The work must continue, because conservation does not wait for funding cycles to align. A turtle’s journey to lay her eggs does not pause while policies are reconsidered. The threats these species face from rising temperatures to habitat destruction are relentless.
Oman, like many nations, must decide to forge a new path. We need stronger regional collaboration, private investment in sustainability and policies that make conservation a national priority rather than an externally funded initiative. If Europe and China can find ways to push forward despite geopolitical tensions, we must take control of our environmental future rather than being at the mercy of decisions beyond our borders.
At the ESO, we refuse to sit back and watch our efforts unravel. But we cannot do it alone. Now more than ever, we need partners, supporters and individuals who believe that protecting Oman’s marine life is not just an environmental issue, but a responsibility. This is about safeguarding our country’s natural heritage for future generations. If you care about Oman’s wildlife, its ecosystems and its future, reach out. Extend a helping hand. Together, we will ensure this work continues, because while policies may change, our duty to this planet does not.
The writer is an environmental strategist and advocate for sustainable development
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