Abu Dhabi has been a leader in harnessing the power of the sun, clean technology and alternative sources of energy in the past few years. A new report form the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has shown that efforts are progressing quite positively for the Arab Gulf country.
Its annual report for 2012, released earlier this month, shows that the country is moving forward on protecting the environment, “enhancing biodiversity” in the Emirate and said it will continue to “maintain sustainable development and provide a safe and healthy environment for the residents and citizens of the Emirate.”
It is all part of the EAD and other companies’ efforts to push forward on renewable energy sources. Solar power, clean energy and a reduction in overall consumption have been the leading goals for the emirate and as evidenced by the recent report, it is seemingly looking smooth.
Mohammed al-Bowardi, EAD’s Managing Director, said in the report that: “Since its establishment, EAD has carried out extensive scientific research, developed and implemented key environmental policies and monitored the Emirate’s environment to protect public health and ensure the integrity of its ecosystems.
“These efforts have been carried out under the directives of H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in line with the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, and under the guidance of H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of EAD.”
Al Bowardi continued: “Over the past years, EAD has led – on behalf of the Government – the development of the Abu Dhabi Environment Vision 2030, which sets our future agenda for environmental, economic and social policy-making and which will help point our Emirate towards more sustainable development.
“It breaks complex development issues into understandable, manageable, and achievable targets and offers a tool we can use to make decisions that protect the environment and the quality of life for future generations.
“The Abu Dhabi Environment Vision 2030 directs us in a collective response to help ensure more sustainable development by focusing on policy development and enforcement on issues such as climate change, clean air and reduced noise pollution, water resources, biodiversity, and waste management,” he said.
The report also comes on the heels of a massive investment project involving the UAE and its expertise in renewable energy for the United Kingdom. The UK Green Investment Bank and the United Arab Emirates Masdar have inked a new agreement that will see the UAE-based company work toward new investment opportunities in the United Kingdom, taking their expertise in renewable energy to Britain.
Al-Bowardi said that efforts like this will continue to see sustainable development be achievable in the country and that the world should take note of its progress on creating an economy that can be sustainable on its own, energy-wise and otherwise.
Editorial comment from Karin Kloosterman, Green Prophet editor: While we welcome all news of green progress in the Middle East, the question I have here is why aren’t there any NGOs in the region tracking progress made by the government? Self-congratulating is something all governments in the world are good at, especially now that eco is in, but we welcome a fresh approach – young people in the Gulf Region who can be brave enough to measure and report actual progress (and setbacks) being done on the ground.
