Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ABUDHABI1998
2007-12-13 13:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

UAE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES

Tags:  SENV ETRD EAID PGOV AE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0896
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHAD #1998/01 3471324
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131324Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0179
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0824
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 7507
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 001998 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/RA AND OES
STATE PASS TO USAID
EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL/
USDA FOR FOREST SERVICE/INTERNATIONAL
INTERIOR FOR INTERNATIONAL/WASHBURNE
EMBASSY AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB OFFICER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD EAID PGOV AE
SUBJECT: UAE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES

ABU DHABI 00001998 001.2 OF 003


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 001998

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/RA AND OES
STATE PASS TO USAID
EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL/
USDA FOR FOREST SERVICE/INTERNATIONAL
INTERIOR FOR INTERNATIONAL/WASHBURNE
EMBASSY AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB OFFICER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD EAID PGOV AE
SUBJECT: UAE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES

ABU DHABI 00001998 001.2 OF 003



1. Summary: the UAE, the second largest economy in the Arab World,
is in the midst of aggressive economic development. Dubai is
building high profile luxury projects such as the "Palms" and the
world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Dubai. On November 19, 2007,
Amman ESTH Hub Officer visited Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah to
gauge the environmental progress and challenges facing the UAE. The
UAE is investing in developing an improved environmental framework
and clean technologies. A recent directive for all buildings
started in 2008 to be "green" will help constrain adverse
environmental effects from the many construction projects. However,
public awareness of environmental issues will remain a challenge
amid rampant consumerism and subsidized power and water. End
summary.


Environmental Regulation in UAE
--------------


2. UAE's environment laws are defined through the 1999 federal law
24 and 5 subsequent executive orders covering environmental impact
assessments, marine environment, air quality, handling of hazardous
wastes, and usage of pesticide/fertilizers. Each of the seven
emirates has its own bylaws and regulations which can often be more
stringent than the federal law. A Ministry of Environment and Water
was established in 2006 with responsibility for legislation,
strategy, policies and representing UAE at international meetings
(UAE is a member of most global environmental conventions). The
Federal Environmental Agency (FEA) is the executive arm of the
Ministry.


3. Dr. Saad Al Numairi, Environment Advisor at the FEA described
the FEA, linkages to the 7 emirates through the environmental
coordination committee. Al Numairi noted that all 7 emirates need
to bless any new regulations (however, as the two largest emirates,
Abu Dhabi and Dubai often are influential in setting a direction).
Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Environment
Agency (ADEA),seconded this observation, noting that his agency's

$11 million budget at its 1996 founding had grown to over $500
million -- allowing him to build the requisite infrastructure for
licensing, monitoring and enforcing Abu Dhabi's environmental laws
-- without monitoring from the FEA.

Signs of Environmental Progress
--------------


4. The FEA is pleased with UAE's progress on environmental issues.
Al Numairi cited Yale University's environmental performance index
where UAE ranked 141 in 2003, 110 in 2005 and 47 in 2007.


5. Al Mansouri was similarly upbeat on Abu Dhabi's progress noting
its biodiversity: there are several protected areas with UNESCO
recently certifying one biosphere. About 4,000 Arabian oryx and
50,000 gazelles are maintained in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. ADEA
has also established a falcon hospital to treat sick falcons from
around the world to support the UAE's cultural heritage. (ADEA is
also helping wildlife conservation in other countries -
rehabilitating Mongolian and African threatened species and
reintroducing them in those regions.) ADEA recently signed a
20-year agreement with San Diego zoo to help the Agency manage the
Al-Ain Zoo as it is converted to a theme park.


6. A recent directive from the Prime Minister of the UAE requires
developers to comply with "green" building standards for all new
building construction starting in 2008. The directive targets
achieving 30 percent energy savings for cooling; nine percent
savings for lighting; and six percent for water, while also
achieving 30 percent water conservation.


7. MASDAR (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) is focused on
sustainable energy with many solar energy projects in the pipeline
including the development of the first solar city with zero carbon
emissions within a few years. MASDAR is organizing the January
21-23 World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. (A Japanese
delegation recently visited the FEA and proposed the first
self-sustainable and carbon-neutral "cool city" in the UAE.)

Environmental Challenges
--------------


8. Key environmental challenges facing the UAE include:

ABU DHABI 00001998 002.2 OF 003


-- Protecting the marine environment: thousands of oil tankers pass
through Straits of Hormuz and many older ships discharge ballast
water and oil; many land reclamation projects underway including the
famous Dubai "Palms" and "World" project can affect marine life;
-- Public education challenges regarding energy use and general
environmental awareness;
-- Water resource management: Water prices are subsidized.
Currently 40% of total water used in Abu Dhabi is from desalination
with a cost above $1/cubic meter (ADEA is starting a thermal
desalination pilot plant with German help and also planning to
establish a Water Resources Academy in Abu Dhabi to provide regional
support). Mansouri noted that changing the behavior of people who
take cheap water for granted is challenging. ADEA plans to focus
more on demand management with penalties for excessive water use,
while also reviewing the tariff structure;
-- Air pollution caused by cars, asphalt, rampant construction in
Dubai, oil tankers);
-- Municipal waste: Dubai's consumption focused society has the
largest ecological footprint per capita, 2-3 kilos of raw
materials/day (according to Ibrahim Al Zubi from the Knowledge and
Human Resource Authority (KHRA) of Dubai).


The Public Education Challenge
--------------


9. Ibrahim Al Zubi is the head of the Environmental Education
Project at the Dubai KHRA (de facto Ministry of Education). Al Zubi
also leads an NGO, the Emirates Diving Association (EDA) and
believes his organization serves as an early warning system for
marine life degradation. Al Zubi led the EDA in Dubai's
participation in the 14th October Arab Environment Day. Six Gulf
countries participated in the recent "Clean up Arabia" campaign
helping clean beaches and remove litter.


10. KHRA works on policies, strategies and education for K-12 and
higher education. KHRA recently undertook an environmental
awareness survey of public schools in Dubai, covering roughly 80% of
the students. The results compiled in July 2007 were shocking - the
low awareness, no environmental clubs in the schools, and little
faith in NGOs. (Interestingly, the survey found that some ethnic
groups such as the Indian community were recycling, largely due to
poverty.)


11. A K-12 task force on environmental education has now been
formed with participation from many government authorities to focus
on school outreach. KHRA hopes the outreach will be a pilot project
for all the UAE and the Arab region. For higher education, KHRA is
enlisting faculty participation as well as innovative activities
such as solar powered boats or solar house contests. ESTH Officer
discussed the possibility of having Green Youth Ambassadors clubs in
the UAE and Middle East. As part of his youth outreach, Al Zubi is
exploring the possibility of a Dubai visit by Al Gore and engaging
with Warner Brothers to have Leonardo DeCaprio come for the February
4th Middle East premiere of the documentary "11th Hour".


Emirates Green Building Council
--------------


12. ESTH Officer met with Dr. Sadek Al Owainat, Chairman of the
Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC). Patterned after the US
Green Building Council, the EGBC was formed in September 2006 with
40 participating members (large developers and contractors). It is
the 8th Green Building Council (GBC) in the world (and the first in
the Middle East). They have customized the US Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines for local use (such as
increasing the number of water related criteria). The EGBC believes
most developers in Dubai are keen to adopt the LEED principles and
will not be overtly affected by the recent UAE government directive
that all new construction from 2008 has to be green. A Dubai
building was recently awarded the highest platinum LEED rating. The
EGBC believes they can support the development of GBC's in other NEA
countries and could share their customized LEED guidelines. The
lead developer of the high-profile "Palms" project is a member of
the EGBC and will be taking mitigation steps to be more LEED
compliant. Al Owainat noted that the world's tallest building under
construction -- the Burj Dubai -- is not expected to be LEED
compliant.


ABU DHABI 00001998 003.2 OF 003


Nuclear energy: in the future or not?
--------------


13. While interlocutors claimed no knowledge of concrete plans to
establish a nuclear energy infrastructure, press articles referred
to a joint Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) venture for a feasibility
study regarding a joint nuclear energy plant. Some interlocutors
noted the low probability of GCC-shared infrastructure in such a
critical area ever coming to fruition.
Sison