Major environmental strategy launched in Abu Dhabi

The Environmental Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) has just launched the Abu Dhabi Environmental Strategy 2008-2012, a wide-ranging plan that sets a series of specific targets for action on the environment.

This world-class strategy covers all economy sectors including oil and gas, construction, transport, tourism, health, energy and industry.

Over the past three years, GHD's environmental team in Abu Dhabi with support from other GHD offices has developed the Strategy in conjunction with the EAD.

As the project consultant, the GHD team was a major presenter at the National Symposium (25-28 February 08) to officially launch the new Environmental Health and Safety Management System (EHSM), which is at the genesis of this strategy.

The Strategy focuses on ten priorities with specific performance targets covering environmental sustainability (as measured by a performance index), water resource management, air quality, hazardous materials and waste, biodiversity management, environmental awareness, initiating sustainability, the greening of Government and environmental information systems.

"This historic and visionary initiative, the first of its kind in the Gulf, sets a blueprint for an integrated environmental, health, and safety action; not just in Abu Dhabi; but hopefully throughout the entire region that is currently subject to massive development and growth," said GHD Senior Principal Environmental Scientist and Auditor Dr Fouad Abo.

As part of the Abu Dhabi Environmental Strategy 2008-2012, The EAD has also launched the Arab world's first public sector Sustainability Report.

"GHD's environmental team in Abu Dhabi was again instrumental in helping shape this report. It identifies areas for specific action at the public sector level, in conjunction with local stakeholders, and is shaped by the ten priorities for action within the EAD Environmental Strategy," said Dr Abo.

Overall, the Environmental Strategy sets a benchmark for monitoring changes over time, and outlines the Emirate's environmental long-term vision, mission and goals while providing a plan for taking action now and in the future.

The Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Managing Director of EAD, H.E Mohammed Al Bowardi, is a major driving force behind this initiative and he noted at the official launch that achieving sustainable development will take patience, commitment and persistence, and this initiative is the catalyst for change.