Abu Dhabi releases annual report highlighting 2014 achievements

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, EAD, has released its annual report for 2014 in both English and Arabic, highlighting its efforts and commitment to protecting and enhancing air quality, groundwater, marine water quality, soil and the biodiversity of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi's desert and marine ecosystem. The report outlines the various partnerships the EAD enjoys with the public and private sectors, non-governmental entities and environmental organisations at the local and global scale.

The EAD's top accomplishments implemented throughout 2014 are summarised in the report, and include the inception of a new sustainable fresh water reserve in Liwa. EAD also developed new policies to protect marine water quality and support environmental sustainability in the emirate, and also conducted the Abu Dhabi Emirate Terrestrial Baseline Survey which provided valuable information on the important species and their distribution, with the information having contributed to declaring new protected areas.

By the end of 2014, EAD developed the marine and terrestrial protected area network representing 13.2% of the marine biome, and the terrestrial protected areas (TPAs) representing 10.5% of the terrestrial biome of Abu Dhabi Emirate. In addition, it successfully completed the mapping of Abu Dhabi's Terrestrial and Marine Habitats Land Use and Land Cover.

In his message, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, and Chairman of EAD, said, "We live in a world where our environment and climate is globally connected. Mankind is altering the climate through emissions, particularly greenhouse gases, which in turn are altering sea levels and the chemistry of our oceans. The quality of our air and marine water today is a result of not only our own actions, but those of our neighbours with whom we also rely on food and other resources.

"Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important that at a Federal level, as an emirate and as individuals, we act as noble global citizens, minimising our environmental impact and providing regional and global leadership where we can. The role of the EAD to support this work has never been more important. We also see globally more and more species becoming threatened through direct persecution and loss of habitat."

"EAD contributes to global conservation efforts in a number of ways. We play a significant global role in supporting dugongs and raptors by supporting the work of the Convention of Migratory Species. The Arabian Gulf, and in particular the waters of Abu Dhabi, are home to one of the world's largest populations of dugongs. The UAE is also home to a range of 42 species of African-Eurasian migratory birds of prey, including the endangered Saker Falcon, Sooty Falcon and the Egyptian Vulture. The development of a Global Action Plan for the Saker Falcon is very encouraging and we hope it will help in developing sustainable falconry in the UAE and promote long-term conservation of the species, which is an integral part of our tradition" Sheikh Hamdan added.