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 
 
 
¶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