State of the Environment Abu Dhabi Key Findings Executive Summary 2006 Copyright © 2006 Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, without permission in writing from the publisher. Photography copyright © 2006 Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi, unless otherwise stated. Produced by: Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 45553, Abu Dhabi, UAE Tel: +971-2-681 7171 Fax: +971-2-681 0008 Website: www.ead.ae Design & Layout by: UNEP/GRID-Arendal, www.grida.no Special thanks to Amani Issa Sugar Paper Sugar Paper H. H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates Page I H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Page III H. H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister Page V Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council Managing Director of Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi With each passing day, our world is increasingly recognizing We envision it to be a useful tool that links human develop- how crucial it is to integrate environmental and social con- ment, economic activities and environmental issues in a way siderations into our development policies, in order to have a that enables formulating a participatory, timely, and informed sound and sustainable future. decision making. When the Government of the United Arab Emirates launched We hope this report offers a better opportunity for more the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative, it hoped it sound environmental management and a sustainable future for would act as a beacon of hope to several global calls to improve all. the environmental policy processes. “The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is entering a new dynamic era The assessment, carried through this report, is one step fur- and heading towards sustainability and integrating science, ther toward achieving a vision. A vision of a world where envi- policy and decision making. Thanks to this State of Environ- ronmental data is easily, readily and clearly accessible to those ment Report, gone will be the days when environmental data making crucial decisions everyday about the future. was inaccessible to those who need it.” Page VII 1.0 State of the Environment Air pollution in the oil-gas sector of Abu Dhabi Emirate AJMAN DOHA SHARJAH DUBAI Al Wakrah ARABIAN GULF QATAR Al Haba Um Said Al Samha Ajban Al Haiyir ABU DHABI Sweihan Mussafah Sir Bani Yas Bani Yas AL AIN Jebel Dhana Al Khaznah Al Mirfa Sila Tarif Shamis Ghayathi Habshan OMAN Madinat Zayid Al Wagan SAUDI Bu Hasa ARABIA Al Quaa Abu Dhabi Emirate Huweilah Taraq Sabkha Kharimah wa Oas Al Khis Umm Hisin Li is Hamim 0 20 40 60 80 100 km Umm Al Zamoul Map produced by UNEP/GRID-Arendal 3 Maximum one-hour SO2 concentration, μg/m : 100-200 200-350 350-500 more 500 Source: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations 1.1 Atmosphere dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM10) are the air pollutants causing the most concern locally. Key issue: Air pollution All three substances pose a health threat as excessive exposure The oil and gas industry is the main source of air pollution, may lead to respiratory complaints and lung disease. followed by the power and transportation sectors. Sulphur Page VIII State of Environmnet Abu Dhabi, Key Findings, Executive Summary The air quality in Abu Dhabi City is generally adequate. Traf- • More stringent controls will be explored in the oil and gas fic congestion, however, has caused nitrogen dioxides levels to sector. exceed air quality guidelines in the outskirts and centre of the • EAD will continue ongoing efforts to curtail emissions city. In addition, in the absence of a clear air quality manage- from other sources, such as dust emissions from sand- ment strategy, air quality may deteriorate in the surrounding blasting operations. industrial areas, such as Musaffah and Mafraq. In Al-Ain City, SO2 concentrations are by far the lowest in the Emirate and are well below the air quality guidelines. NOx con- Hydrocarbons flaring by the centrations are also within the allowable limits, although higher Abu Dhabi National Oil Company levels have been registered downtown due to increased traf- fic. Gas flaring, thousand cubic metres per day In the areas around Medinat Zayed, Habshan and Ruwais pol- 8 000 lution levels are either close to or exceed the air pollution guidelines, and SO2 levels are a particular problem. The main 7 000 pollution sources are the region’s oil and gas and related heavy industries both on and offshore. 6 000 Most of the Emirate, including Mafraq, Shahama, Samha, Sas Al- Nakhl and Al-Ain, experience relatively high, naturally occurring 5 000 levels of particulate matter that exceed air quality guidelines. Shahama, Samha and Ruwais also experience episodes of high concentrations of ground-level ozone (O3). 4 000 Way forward: • The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) has taken ini- 3 000 tiatives to: o Introduce compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles into taxi, bus, truck and government fleets and equip thirty 2 000 stations with CNG refuelling capacity. This conversion will shift 10 percent of the most polluting fleet in the 1 000 Emirate to CNG by 2012. o Switch the Emirate’s diesel fuel supply to only ultra low-sulphur diesel by 2015. 0 o Use strategic environmental impact assessment in the 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 management of air quality. Source: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company • A monitoring network covering the entire Emirate is ex- pected to be operational by the first quarter of 2007. • The power sector will rely progressively more on natural gas as a fuel. Page IX Success stories: Over 430 bird species have been recorded in the Emirate. Fifteen of these are listed as globally threatened by BirdLife Shift to unleaded petrol International. Four of the threatened species are water birds, On 1 January 2003, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) intro- the rest are terrestrial species. Abu Dhabi Emirate’s islands duced unleaded petrol on the local market as part of its provide breeding areas for several important seabird species, ‘UAE Goes Green’ programme. This involved the conver- including the globally threatened Socotra Cormorant (Phal- sion of 500 filling stations nationwide to unleaded petrol, the crocorax nigrogularis) and the important Crab Plover (Dromas training of transport and service station personnel, and an ardeola). Many of the important breeding species are particu- awareness campaign for 750,000 UAE motorists. larly vulnerable to development activities on the islands. Reduced flaring of hydrocarbons The Gulf region supports part of the largest known population Flaring involves burning off waste gas or oil during testing of the vulnerable Dugong (Dugong dugon) outside Australia. or production processes. From 1995 to 2004 flaring from The waters of Abu Dhabi are also home to 240 fish species, oil and gas production was reduced from approximately 7.5 four of which are threatened, and two species of sea turtle, million cubic metres per day to 2.5 million cubic metres per the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbri- day. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has set cata) and the endangered Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas). zero flaring as a strategic objective. Way forward: • EAD is managing three officially designated protected 1.2 Biodiversity areas: Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, Marawah Marine Protected Area and Al Yasat Marine Protected Area. The Key issue: Many species threatened areas cover a total of 4,739.9 square kilometres (km2). or extinct Three additional protected areas have been proposed: Several of the larger, more spectacular animal species that 1. Jebel Hafit National Park would cover about 100 km2. formerly existed in the Emirate are now almost certainly ex- 2. Umm Al Zamoul National Park has a planned area of tinct in their natural environment, largely as a result of hunt- over 10,000 km2. ing. These include the Wolf (Canis lupus), Striped Hyena (Hy- 3. Ras Ghanada Coral Reef Reserve is set to cover aena hyaena), Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Arabian Oryx about 194 km2 and will protect the most diverse and (Oryx leucoryx). abundant coral site in the Emirate. When established these three areas will play a significant Of the remaining 47 mammal species, 15 are on the World part in conserving the Emirate’s biodiversity. Conservation Union’s 2004 Red List of Threatened Species • The Emirate of Abu Dhabi needs a biodiversity in the World. A number of other species are regarded as conservation strategy and action plan. This is especially threatened within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, but they are important because the Emirate is currently undertaking not considered globally under threat. These include the Car- a number of massive economic development projects. acal (Caracal caracal), the Sand Cat (Felis margarita) and the There is also an urgent need for a representative Brandt’s Hedgehog (Hemiechinus hypomelas). Most animal protected areas network that will protect the Emirate’s species naturally occur in low densities, making them particu- diverse ecosystems and habitats. larly vulnerable to activities such as hunting, habitat degrada- • Species conservation action plans and ecological moni- tion and competition for grazing from domestic livestock. toring programmes are needed to ensure that the Emir- Page X State of Environmnet Abu Dhabi, Key Findings, Executive Summary ate’s natural heritage is conserved and that conservation • Diligent enforcement of federal and local laws, especially measures and efforts are progressing.