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Abu Dhabi: The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) was established in 1996 under the name Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) with about 20 employees.
Tasked with the protection and conservation of the environment and promotion of sustainable development in Abu Dhabi, the agency works with the Federal Environmental Agency (FEA) and the Ministry of Environment and Water, apart from other federal and local bodies, in implementing environmental laws and putting forth regulation orders in the capital.
It was in 2005 that President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered ERWDA to be restructured and renamed to EAD.
Activities
Today with over 300 employees, the EAD's dedicated team fighting the environment battle has achieved several milestones. Its activities go beyond the borders of the emirate into at least three continents covering most aspects of conservation.
In 2007, the agency was awarded by the Abu Dhabi Award for Excellence in Government Performance (ADAEP) Office at the General Secretariat of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, a certificate for achieving the fourth highest score out of a total of 22 organisations.
Apart from playing an active role in international agreements and conventions, including the Kyoto Protocol, the EAD runs a multitude of programmes for the conservation and protection of marine and terrestrial environment, as well as endangered species. It also funds surveys and research.
Requirements: Five-year targets
Environmental sustainability
1. Economic and social development managed in an environmentally sustainable way
2. An informed and aware population contributing to environmental sustainability
3. Clean, protected and safe environment:
- a) Atmosphere [climate change, ozone layer, air and noise]
- b) Water
- c) Waste
- d) Land
- e) Marine
- f) Biodiversity
4. Healthy and safe workplace
Water resource management
- 100% concentration of Sox, Nox, PM10, ground level ozone and CO not exceeding limits
- 100% completion of noise baseline data project
- 80% of establishments complying with noise emission limits from stationary/point source
- 20% of cars transferring to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
- 100% usage of diesel containing 500 ppm sulphur
Air quality
- Maintain the 100% release of incoming chemical, and hazardous material [including radioactive] shipments complying with Abu Dhabi requirements
- 100% of re-exported radioactive material shipments through Abu Dhabi point of exit, complying with Abu Dhabi requirements
- 100% of storage facilities of permitted companies dealing with chemicals and radioactive materials complying with Abu Dhabi requirements
- 100% of permitted companies complying with regards to radiation practices conducted in non Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) Group areas
- Reduce gap in processing of industrial hazardous waste from the non-oil sector to zero per cent
- Reduce gap in processing of medical hazardous waste.
- Hazardous materials and waste management
- Increase the protected areas to 12% of total area
- Maintain the percentage of area under forest plantations in Abu Dhabi at 1.84%.
- Increase the number of species in breeding programmes outside their natural habitats [in captivity] to 25 species
- Increase level of compliance of marine regulations to 100%
- Increase the fisheries resources status to 20 key species
- Increase of key marine ecosystems and habitats to eight
Biodiversity management
- 20% increase in the number of people informed through outreach
- 20% increase in the number of programmes conducted by EAD with different target groups
- 20% increase of Media Monitors
- Increase number of private and public sectors environmental initiatives to 20
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