General Information » Environment » Environmental Issues

The UAE’s, and specifically the late President, HH Sheikh Zayed’s, commitment to the environment is internationally recognised. The Zayed International Prize for the Environment was established, in 1999, to recognize and encourage environmental achievements in line with Sheikh Zayed’s vision and philosophy.

On a national level, the Federal Environmental Agency (www.fea.gov.ae) was set up, in 1997, in an effort to develop plans and policies to protect the UAE from activities that could have a negative impact on agriculture, human health, marine life, wildlife, and other natural resources.

In Abu Dhabi, the main organisation is the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. Until recently, this organisation was known as the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency or ERWDA (681 7171, www.erwda.gov.ae). Projects are focused at emirate level and include the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital; avian, marine and terrestrial research; and environmental education programmes. Special projects are also underway for endangered species including the dugong, the hawksbill turtle and the houbara bustard.

New legislation gives the Environment Agency more power to ensure that environmental safety measures are adhered to, they can stop projects that do not comply. It also defines the scope and nature of the Agency far better, giving it greater responsibility in the management and protection of the environment in Abu Dhabi.

Sir Bani Yas Island, off the coast of Abu Dhabi, has an internationally acclaimed breeding programme for endangered wildlife. The Arabian Wildlife Centre, in Sharjah, has a similar and very successful programme for endangered wildlife, particularly the Arabian Leopard.

There is an active branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature, in Abu Dhabi (693 4510, www.panda.org). The WWF are currently working with ERWDA on a project to preserve coral reef habitats in the Arabian Gulf. The WWF has been working with ERWDA, Dubai Municipality, Sharjah’s Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Fujairah Municipality, Ras Al Khaimah’s Environment Protection and Industrial Development Commission, and the Ministry of Education and Youth, on the Enviro-Spellathon, a programme aimed at encouraging interest in the environment amongst school children.

The UAE is party to international agreements on biodiversity, climate change, desertification, endangered species, hazardous wastes, marine dumping and ozone layer protection; it is a signatory to the CITES convention. In addition to emirate-wide environmental controls, Abu Dhabi has strictly enforced laws governing the use of chemical insecticides.

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