Hamdan Bin Zayed Issues a Decree on the Air Quality System in Abu Dhabi

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), today issued Decree No. (2) of 2024 regarding the air quality system in Abu Dhabi, which aims to preserve the environment, improve ambient air quality, reduce air pollutants emitted from stationary and mobile sources, and control noise levels within permissible limits in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The provisions of the air quality system apply to all projects and establishments operating in Abu Dhabi, and their work requires obtaining an environmental licence from EAD to protect the ambient air. The Agency will prepare the executive decisions, practice guides, and the necessary guidelines to implement the provisions of this system and issue them as part of its annexes.

According to the decree, EAD will monitor and evaluate ambient air quality through environmental monitoring networks and periodically sampling monitor and evaluate air pollutants in accordance with the maximum limits for concentrations of ambient air pollutants. Furthermore, there will be coordination with relevant authorities to identify monitoring sites and ambient air pollutants that should be measured by them. EAD will also evaluate the performance and effectiveness of ambient air quality monitoring stations and create plans and initiatives to develop the air quality monitoring network.

Abu Dhabi ban single-use Styrofoam products from 1 June

As part of Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi’s (EAD) Single-Use Plastic Policy, which was launched in 2020, a ban on a series of Styrofoam products in the emirate will become effective from 1 June 2024. Styrofoam is a type of plastic called expanded polystyrene and it has a range of uses. As part of the ban, Abu Dhabi, is targeting avoidable, single-use consumer products. Specifically, the banned products comprise cups, lids, plates and beverage containers (including their caps and lids) made of expanded polystyrene. In addition, food container receptacles for products that are intended for immediate consumption, either on the spot or for takeaway, or containers that have a product that is typically consumed from the receptacle and is ready to be consumed without any further preparation such as cooking, boiling or heating, will also be prohibited. The products that will be exempt from the ban include those not designed for single consumer use such as big storage boxes and coolers and trays used for meat, fruit, ready-made dairy products and other food items for retail sale. Also, all other products designed for medical uses are also exempted.

Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, said: “As an extension of the Abu Dhabi Single-Use Plastic Policy which we initiated in 2020, and following the extremely successful ban on single-use plastic bags in 2022 and the introduction of the Single-Use Plastic Bottle Return Scheme in 2023, effective from June 1 2024 there will be a ban on some Styrofoam products in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. This move will help reduce litter in the environment as Styrofoam in particular breaks easily into microplastics that can enter the food chain and be harmful to human health as well as affect biodiversity. She elaborated: “The success story for the Abu Dhabi Single-Use Plastic Policy is that the consumption of 310 million single-use plastic bags has been avoided up to April 2024, and the number of bags distributed at retailers’ cash counters has reduced up to 95 per cent. In weight, this is more than 2,000 tonnes of single use plastic bags have been avoided. Similarly, more than 1,000 tonnes of bottles, equivalent to 67 million bottles, have been collected last year”.

EAD Starts the First Reintroduction Phase of Dama Gazelles in Chad

As part of one of the largest large mammal reintroduction programmes in the world, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) released for the first time six Dama Gazelles into the Ouadi Rimé – Ouadi Achim Wildlife Reserve (OROAWF) in Chad. One of the three most endangered gazelle species, this latest release is part of an ambitious initiative to increase Dama Gazelle numbers in the wild. Classified on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species as ‘Critically Endangered’ (extreme risk of extinction), with only about 100 Dama Gazelles remaining in the wild in Chad and Niger, the species is on the verge of extinction, and efforts are underway to both preserve and increase wild herd numbers in its natural habitats.

“The project began in 2019 for this species with a captive breeding programme, when the team succeeded in capturing a group of five wild gazelles in the Manga region and other areas of Ouadi Rimé – Ouadi Achim in Chad,” said Ahmed Al Hashemi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD. “They were then transported to enclosures for breeding and reached where they were kept with other Dama Gazelles located from EAD’s wildlife conservation centres in Abu Dhabi to Chad. The numbers have multiplied since then to a total of 29 animals”.

A Delegation from EAD Observed the Experience of China in Environmental Protection, Management and Monitoring of Air Quality

A delegation from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) visited the People’s Republic of China to learn about the latest innovative technologies in the field of environmental protection, management and monitoring of air quality, as well as the best practices and technologies used in air purification, with the aim of benchmarking, adopting relevant unique projects, and enhancing ways of cooperation and sustainable investment opportunities between the two countries. During the visit, the delegation was briefed on the air purification tower project, which purifies polluted air particles in the atmosphere, and examined the possibility of investing in such sustainable technologies and adopting them in Abu Dhabi’s public places to enhance air quality.

Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, said: “Protecting the environment and enhancing Abu Dhabi’s air quality are among the most important key priorities that EAD seeks to proactively achieve via its various projects and initiatives. One of the most prominent is the study of air quality through air modelling, the results of which will enable us to develop policies, plans, and strategies aimed at enhancing environmental sustainability. Furthermore, it will support the strategies and goals of the United Arab Emirates in protecting the air, such as the Net Zero by 2050 Strategy, and Abu Dhabi’s Environmental Centennial 2071, which was launched by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, where one of its pathways aims to make Abu Dhabi, a vibrant emirate thriving in nature by providing clean and healthy air for all”.

To Protect Public Health and the Environment… EAD Closes Industrial Facility

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) suspended the operations of an industrial facility specialised in processing used oils in the Al Mafraq Industrial Zone of Abu Dhabi City for violating environmental laws and regulations as well as its failure to comply with the environmental requirements and conditions. This comes under the framework of EAD’s role as the competent authority for environmental affairs in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, who is responsible for monitoring the compliance of industrial facilities, the environment and ensuring they are applying the best environmental practices.

Engineer Faisal Al Hammadi, Executive Director of EAD’s Environment Quality Sector said: “Based on the periodic monitoring reports of the Agency’s air quality monitoring stations, and the reports of periodic inspection visits as well as the response to various complaints received from the public regarding the emission of irritating gas odours, it was found that their source was the aforementioned facility as a result of its numerous violations related to non-compliance with environmental license requirements”. Al Hammadi also pointed out that the facility carried out operational processes without taking precautionary measures to prevent emissions that would affect the quality of the surrounding air and did not commit to installing air pollution control devices, which are part of the Agency’s requirements. EAD’s decision to suspend the facility’s operations comes as a result of repeated violations and non-compliance with environmental requirements and studies, which saw residential areas in the local area being affected. In this regard, EAD has called on all industrial establishments operating in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to adhere to the legal and technical conditions and requirements included in the environmental license issued to them, and to ensure that they adhere to the mandatory requirements to help protect the environment.

EAD and TRENDS Discuss Prospects for Cooperation

A dialogue session was held yesterday between the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) TRENDS Research and Advisory at the Agency’s headquarters, with the aim of discussing prospects for joint research cooperation on topics of common interest. The session, which was attended by Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al-Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS, and several researchers and experts from both sides, discussed ways to enhance joint cooperation between the Centre and the Agency in the fields of sustainability and the environment, benefiting from the Centre’s extensive research expertise in the field of surveys and opinion polls, and the design and implementation of specialised training programmes.

Participants in the session stressed the importance of scientific research in addressing climate and environmental issues, and its role in supporting national efforts aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goals. They noted that cooperation between research institutions and stakeholders is necessary to enhance scientific research capabilities and channel them towards finding innovative solutions to environmental challenges. The session also discussed joint initiatives between TRENDS and EAD in the field of sustainability and the environment, and identified areas of future cooperation, including exchanging data and information, organising joint conferences and symposiums, and preparing specialised studies and research. The two sides agreed to enhance joint research cooperation between TRENDS and the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, and to develop future plans for cooperation in the fields of sustainability, environment, opinion polls and training. Through this cooperation, the two sides seek to contribute to achieving sustainable development goals and enhance the UAE’s position as a leader in the field of sustainability and the environment.

EAD Hosts Second Stakeholder Workshop on Air Quality Modelling

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has organised the second stakeholders’ workshop to present and discuss project progress and highlights from the Abu Dhabi Air Quality Modelling Framework project. The workshop took place on the 13^th of May 2024 at EAD’s office in Al Mamoura, Abu Dhabi. Following the successful outcome of the inaugural workshop in 2023, and once more bringing together all entities involved in the initiative, the second workshop provided an opportunity to showcase the significant progress made in the development and implementation of the Abu Dhabi Air Quality Modelling Framework by EAD and its partners during the past 12 months. As well as sharing key outcomes and regional modelling data generated during the project’s first year, the Agency shared its plan and project progress regarding operational modelling studies, meteorology, forecasting, and use of data products generated from the Modelling Framework project.

Aligned with the broader strategic objectives of the Emirate and the 2030 National Air Quality Agenda, the workshop also explored both how the project’s progress can contribute to these overarching goals, and ways in which each partner organisation can align its initiatives with the agendas of the Emirate and the UAE. A key outcome was to further strengthen relationships among the project’s stakeholder partners, and create a platform for open dialogue, shared knowledge, and collective action towards improving air quality in Abu Dhabi.