18 November 2025
The announcement comes on the 10-year anniversary of the first Green Flag Awards being accredited in March 2015. Abu Dhabi Municipality has made history this year by becoming the organisation holding the most Green Flag Awards anywhere in the world in 2025.
Nine organisations across the Emirates are engaged in the programme - from Al Ain Municipality in the East of the country to Al Dhafra Region Municipality in the West. Emirati municipalities have been highly engaged with the Green Flag Award - which aligns with the country’s desire to attract more international visitors.
This year UK judges worked closely with more than 15 Emirati judges - including a new cohort selected from four municipalities and trained by Keep Britain Tidy. This fits with Green Flag Award ethos of sharing best practice and supporting the parks sector worldwide.
(Cover Image: Ahmed Fadhel Almehairbi, Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi Municipality raises the flag in event-orientated Khalifa Square Park)
Ahmed Fadhel Almehairbi, Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi Municipality said:
“From just three parks in 2015 to 52 parks in 2025, Abu Dhabi City Municipality has become the leading entity worldwide in the number of parks awarded the Green Flag Award for 2025. This milestone highlights our sustained commitment to applying the highest international standards in park management, thereby enhancing the quality of green spaces and improving the overall quality of life in Abu Dhabi”
More than half of the organisations involved increased applications this year, resulting in an overall 35% growth in winners from 2024.
In Abu Dhabi a tranche of newly developed parks in the vibrant Khalifa City picked up awards for the first time, including the innovative Al Masar Park. The park was designed by SLA – a renowned nature-based landscape architecture studio in Denmark. It features wilder, natural planting with an engaging contoured running track, as well as state of the art play and sport facilities for the growing population of Khalifa City.
Video: Al Ain Municipality documented the judging process and award ceremony
Al Ain celebrated five new parks winning the award, including Al Saada Park - a brand new 49,000 sqm park featuring barbecue areas, multiple children's play zones and a range of sport facilities which is designed to support a vibrant calendar of cultural, entertainment and leisure events annually.
Engineer Aisha Al-Balooshi, Head of the Technical Studies and Design Department at Al Ain City Municipality said:
“The continued success of Al Ain’s parks in winning the Green Flag Award is definitive proof of the serious and sustained work carried out in this city with a unified team spirit.
This is in direct pursuit of the vision and directives of our wise government in Abu Dhabi Emirate, and our mission to bring happiness to our community by providing recreational facilities and services that live up to the aspirations of its people."
In Al Dhafra, four new parks gained accreditation, including Delma Public Park on Dalma Island. The island, once one of the Arabian Gulf's most important pearl-diving centres, is accessed by ferry from the port of Jebel al Dhanna and has a population of only 5,000 people.
ADNOC Group, Ajman Municipality, Dubai Municipality, Hamriyah Municipality, Kalba Municipality and Khorfakkan Municipality were also recognised today with a combination of new and consecutive award wins, demonstrating a widespread commitment to managing and maintaining quality parks and green spaces across the entire United Arab Emirates.
|
Managing Organisation |
Winners |
|
Abu Dhabi City Municipality |
52 |
|
ADNOC Group |
1 |
|
Ajman Municipality |
4 |
|
Al Ain City Municipality |
19 |
|
Al Dhafra Region Municipality |
11 |
|
Dubai Municipality |
3 |
|
Hamriyah Municipality |
2 |
|
Kalba Municipality |
3 |
|
Khorfakkan Municipality |
1 |
|
TOTAL: |
96 |
Carl McClean, International Development Manager for the Green Flag Award said:
“Congratulations to everyone involved in managing and maintaining, marketing and activating and cleaning and protecting – parks and green spaces in the United Arab Emirates every single day. The communities you serve benefit greatly from the management, direction and political focus of the parks sector here, and ensure that the UAE continues to be an amazing place to live, work and visit.”
Explore all the winners
The Green Flag Award winners’ map features accredited parks and green spaces around the world, including Turkey. Explore the various profiles to learn more about our current winners.
As the Green Flag Award programme continues to grow around the world, so too does our judging reach. In the past 12 months new judges have been trained in Finland, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and the USA.
To find out more about the Green Flag award or to apply for an award, whichever country you are based in, visit the Green Flag Award website or alternatively click here.
