Air, water quality good in Dubai

Despite the heavy dust experienced in Dubai last year, the quality of air in the emirate remained good, without any major air pollution, according to its civic body. The Dubai Municipality’s Environment Department made this statement in an analytical report of the environmental conditions in 2011. The analysis is based on the existing systems to categorise and examine air types. The report closely analyses various aspects of environment as well as diagnoses challenges so as to support policy-makers in framing steps to pursue sustainable policies, Director of the Department Hamdan Al Shaer said in a Press statement. The report has also given a clean certificate to the sea water and Creek water in the emirate and said that more projects and efforts to better the water quality were under way. It added that the municipality has many projects that use internationally accepted technology and best practices to develop the waterways and coastal zones. “The municipality has the technology to examine oceanic climate conditions early.” More steps to develop wildlife sanctuaries and wetlands are also being initiated while the existing wild life sanctuary in Ras Al Khor is listed under the Ramsar Convention. With most of the industries abiding by the regulations and meeting the requirements regarding environment, the report said, waste generation in Dubai is one of the major environmental challenges.  “Hopefully, new methods and technologies adopted by the municipality will be compatible to tackle the issue,” it was noted. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Dubai Municipality who released the report, said it was mainly intended to present before authorities concerned to help them frame policies and make laws and regulations accordingly. He said the report includes facts and figures regarding water, air and soil of Dubai as well as close analysis of waste management, sewage, coastal zones and waterways, biodiversity, marine environment and climate of the region. “It also points to the possible threats to the environment emerging with the advancement in various fields like urban planning, tourism, industrial development, and increase in the number of vehicles, pollution and the like.” Various efforts that the Dubai Municipality has rendered to make Dubai environment sustainable are also detailed in the report. Al Shaer said the report was made in cooperation with various other departments and is put before decision making bodies for further consultation. From khaleejtimes