Abu Dhabi, EAD, released a new digital version of their 2019 Annual Report on Wednesday, highlighting their key achievements in protecting the environment and biodiversity, combat climate change and work towards a sustainable future.

In 2019, the EAD celebrated its 25th anniversary and the report looks back at the prominent initiatives and projects undertaken across several environmental sectors to improve the quality of land, air and the marine environment in Abu Dhabi.

Heading into 2020, the EAD has developed a national strategy to propel environmental efforts forward in the next 50 years.

In the foreword of the report, H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Board of the EAD, said, “Today we stand proudly 25 years on from the beginning of Abu Dhabi’s environmental journey inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE.

“Our priority is to address the local and global challenges of providing real environmental security, as well as outlining our efforts to protect biological diversity and the environment. These priorities stem from the UAE’s keenness to conserve nature.

“We will strive to protect the progress and achievements of this country over the past few years in order to achieve truly sustainable development within economic, social and environmental dimensions,” he said.

One of the many achievements highlighted in the report includes the EAD’S contribution to protecting the wildlife and natural heritage of Abu Dhabi.

This includes monitoring the Arabian Oryx population in Abu Dhabi that has now reached 5,000, now the largest herd in the world, and protecting the dolphins that live in Abu Dhabi waters, including the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin of which the capital is known for having the highest number in the world.

In 2019, EAD has also closely observed the number of dugongs in Abu Dhabi, with numbers reaching more than 3,000 making it the largest population in the world.

The same year, EAD collected reference samples of invertebrates that led to the conservation of 2,457 species, of which 100 species were not previously known in the UAE.

Another major highlight of the year was increasing the number of reserves that are managed through the Sheikh Zayed Protected Areas Network to include 19 land and marine wildlife reserves, that now cover 31 percent of Abu Dhabi.

In 2019, EAD and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment launched the UAE National Framework for Sustainable Fisheries (2019-2030), which is the UAE’s first-ever national recovery plan for fisheries. In addition, two important commercial fishing methods were banned in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi – namely gargoor and ghazal.

As a regulatory authority and policy decision-maker, by the end of 2019, EAD had reviewed more than 2,000 impact assessment studies, 4,800 environmental compliance inspections and issued more than 2,500 environmental licences for industrial, commercial and development projects and facilities.

To enhance air quality efforts, EAD has continued to monitor 20 fixed and two mobile stations that compose the Abu Dhabi’s comprehensive air quality monitoring network. Abu Dhabi’s extensive network of marine water monitoring sites were strengthened, assessing the state and quality of Abu Dhabi’s water and its sediments.

About 18,000 groundwater wells were assessed across Abu Dhabi in 2019, resulting in the launch of the Abu Dhabi Ground Water Atlas to improve the efficiency of groundwater use.

The agency has also played a transformative role in increasing environmental awareness among members of the public and targeted more students and teachers in 2019, with EAD reaching more than 85 percent of students (around 1.8 million) in government and private schools in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Shaikha al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of the EAD, concluded, “We will continue to work for more success and progress in 2020 with the implementation of our government’s vision to achieve a balance between economic and social growth and environmental protection.

“As always, the agency will work towards ensuring the sustainability of our natural resources and the continuity of a better life for future generations.”

EAD’s conservation efforts have also extended beyond the borders of the UAE. Another recognised partnership was the successful resettlement of Scimitar-horned Oryx in Chad and in 2019; EAD also expanded their reintroduction efforts to include the Addax and Dama Gazelle.