US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI993

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ABU DHABI 000993 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE PASS USTR FOR DOUG BELL, JENNIFER PRESCOTT 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, OES/ENV, EB/TPP/MTA 
AMMAN FOR ESTH HUB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, EPET, ETRD, KSCA, SENV, TC 
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY TO REMAIN A LONG-TERM 
UAE PRIORITY 
 
REF: A. A)STATE 25544 
     B. B)04 ABU DHABI 1114 
     C. C)04 DUBAI 1410 
     D. D)03 ABU DHABI 3593 
     E. E)04 ABU DHABI 3875 
 
 1.  (SBU) Summary:  Former UAE President Sheikh Zayed, who 
died in November 2004, was widely respected in the UAE as an 
avid environmentalist who worked to "green" the UAE by 
promoting forestry and agriculture.  Rapid expansion of 
agriculture, however, has negatively impacted the UAE,s 
ground water reserves.  Led by some of Sheikh Zayed,s sons, 
the UAE has begun a review of the scientific sustainability 
of Zayed,s environmental projects.  This continued 
high-level attention ensures that preserving the environment 
will remain a core domestic policy of the UAE, while ensuring 
increased scientific studies of the sustainability of such 
policies. 
 
2.  (SBU) Summary (continued):  Despite the high-level 
attention to environmental preservation, the UAE faces a 
number of serious environmental challenges (Ref B).  High 
levels of per capita energy consumption, overfishing of 
marine stocks, climate change, wildlife preservation, and 
most importantly, limited ground water reserves, all remain 
key environmental concerns for the UAE.  The UAE needs to 
remain engaged on effective environmental enforcement equally 
applied throughout each emirate to ensure the long-term 
economic and environmental sustainability of current 
industrial and commercial policies.  End Summary. 
 
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UAE Government Structure 
------------------------- 
 
3.  (U)  The UAE is a federation of seven emirates (Abu 
Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Qaiwain, Fujairah, and 
Ras Al-Khaimah) founded in December 1971.  The federal 
structure of the UAE, like that of the U.S., reserves certain 
powers for the federal government, while ceding others to the 
individual emirates.  Under the constitution, the federal 
government assumed the responsibility and authority for 
certain areas that affect the federation as a whole, such as 
foreign affairs, while the individual emirates retain 
authority in areas not specifically delegated to the 
federation.  In all cases, however, federal laws and decrees 
&trump8 emirate-level laws.  Individual emirates maintain 
ownership of natural resources within their borders.  Abu 
Dhabi controls 90% of the proven oil and gas reserves in the 
UAE and is the wealthiest emirate. 
 
4.  (U) The Federal Environmental Agency (FEA), established 
in 1993, is the federal agency charged with drafting UAE 
environmental laws and regulations.  It is also the point of 
contact for international conventions such as CITES and the 
UN Convention to Combat Desertification.  The UAE passed and 
implemented a comprehensive federal environmental law in 1999 
(Federal Law 24/1999) and a companion federal marine 
resources law (Federal Law 23/1999).  (Note:  Arabic text of 
the law is available at www.erwda.gov.ae and Embassy has 
English translations available in hard copy.  End note.) 
Federal Law 24/1999 stipulates that all projects implemented 
in the UAE require environmental impact assessments to ensure 
that the project does not adversely affect the environment. 
The law also stipulates penalties, including fines and 
imprisonment, for polluting the environment.  Federal Law 
11/2002 is designed to regulate trade in wildlife. 
 
5.  (U) Although FEA is responsible for environmental laws 
and regulations, other federal ministries are also involved 
in specific environmental projects.  The Ministry of 
Agriculture and Fisheries promulgates laws relating to 
agriculture, pesticides, and marine resources.  The Ministry 
for Presidential Affairs oversees the forestry and 
agriculture programs and funds groundwater research. 
 
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Enforcement 
------------ 
 
6.  (U) In keeping with the federal nature of the UAE, the 
individual emirates are responsible for enforcing 
environmental laws, although the FEA has the authority to 
monitor implementation.  The municipal authorities are 
responsible for enforcement in the emirates of Dubai, Ajman, 
Umm Al-Qaiwain, and Fujairah.  Ras Al-Khaimah delegates 
environmental enforcement authority to the Environment 
Protection and Industrial Development Commission (EPIDC), and 
Sharjah has an Environment and Protected Areas Authority 
(EPAA).  The Emirate of Abu Dhabi established the 
Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency 
(ERWDA) in 1996, which is the largest and most proactive of 
the environmental enforcement groups in the UAE.  Abu Dhabi 
Emirate,s Executive Council designated ERWDA as the 
"Competent Authority" for environment and wildlife issues in 
the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in November 2000, and it serves as 
Abu Dhabi,s official agency responsible for implementing 
environmental laws.  ERWDA also manages the five-year 
Environmental Strategy and Action Plans for the Emirate of 
Abu Dhabi (available at Post in hard copy), which is Abu 
Dhabi,s plan for managing the environment.  ERWDA is also a 
scientific and educational institution that serves, for 
example, as the UAE,s scientific authority for the CITES 
convention.  Its website is available at www.erwda.gov.ae. 
 
7.  (SBU) The Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in particular, has a 
historical and political commitment to environmental 
protection.  UAE founding father and longtime President 
Sheikh Zayed Al-Nahyan, who died in November 2004, was an 
avid environmentalist.  He spearheaded Abu Dhabi,s intensive 
efforts to &green8 the UAE by building forests, supporting 
agriculture, and preserving wildlife.  Abu Dhabi,s current 
leadership continue to play a proactive role in environmental 
stewardship led by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed 
(MbZ), Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hamdan bin Zayed 
(HbZ), and Minister for Presidential Affairs Mansour bin 
Zayed (Note:  HbZ currently serves as Deputy Chairman of 
ERWDA.  End note.).  In December, Abu Dhabi also proposed a 
special task force to protect the environment under the 
auspices of the General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police. 
 
8.  (SBU) Other Emirates have had varying commitments to the 
environment.  For example, federal law requires all the 
emirates to carry out Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) 
before beginning new construction projects.  Third-party 
companies complete the assessments, and the emirate-level 
enforcement authorities certify the results.  Effectiveness 
of these assessments vary however; Dubai, for example, is 
said to be "business friendly" in its EIA review.  Dubai,s 
major construction initiatives, especially the construction 
of the various offshore projects, are widely viewed as, at 
least in the near-term, altering the marine environment in 
the Arabian Gulf. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Nongovernmental Environmental Players 
-------------------------------------- 
 
9.  (U) The Dubai-based NGO Emirates Environmental Group 
(EEG) is the only environmental NGO in the UAE.  Formed in 
1991 with the aim of protecting the environment through 
education, action programs, and community involvement, 
Chairperson Habiba Al Marashi has built the organization into 
one of the most proactive NGOs in the UAE.  EEG coordinates 
with individuals, private businesses, schools, and government 
in the UAE through its large outreach network, including 
corporate sponsorship program, clubs at schools and 
universities, and events like litter clean-up days. The EEG's 
newly formed Corporate Social Responsibility Network (ref C) 
promotes a greater focus on sustainable development through 
seminars and other awareness-raising events.  See their 
website at www.eeg-uae.org for more information. 
 
10.  (U) Academic institutions are involved in some 
environmental research, and UAE University offers a Master,s 
degree in Environmental Science.  ERWDA is encouraging the 
universities to take a more substantial role in environmental 
research, and is exploring a Memorandum of Understanding with 
UAE University.  UAE University is also partnering with ERWDA 
in the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative, a 
project announced at the Johannesburg conference and 
conducted under the auspices of UNEP. 
 
11.  (U) Private sector involvement in the environment is 
generally weak, although some businesses and corporations in 
the UAE include an environmental department, most prominently 
in the petroleum sector.  Although Abu Dhabi National Oil 
Company (ADNOC) is most involved in geology (petroleum and 
ground water), some of the foreign oil companies here 
complete environmental projects unrelated to their 
businesses. 
 
 
 
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Major Environmental Issues 
--------------------------- 
 
12.  (SBU) The UAE is largely a desert country, and as such, 
its ground water reserves are one of the most important 
natural resources, and also one of its most vulnerable to 
exploitation.  Management of ground water reserves is not 
allocated to any one ministry, most likely because of the 
social and economic importance of water.  The Ministry for 
Presidential Affairs, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, the 
National Drilling Company, FEA, and the local emirates all 
involve themselves in the use and distribution of water.  The 
United States Geological Survey has been operating in the 
Emirate of Abu Dhabi since 1991, maintaining wells and 
collecting and analyzing data on fresh water ground reserves. 
 
 
13.  (SBU) Major stresses on water reserves include the 
agriculture sector (Ref D), the forestries program, and 
excessive water usage.  Longtime agriculture incentives and 
subsidies are under review, since there are concerns that 
they are not economically sustainable and also harmful to 
maintaining ground water reserves.  The UAEG is slowly 
phasing out the subsidies that have long maintained the 
sector, to discourage uneconomic farming.  ERWDA and Mubadala 
(an Abu Dhabi government investment and development company) 
are also reviewing the forestry program for its scientific 
sustainability; most of the forests in Abu Dhabi, however, 
use brackish ground water supplies instead of fresh water. 
The third stress is the overconsumption of water by the 
population.  The average per capita consumption of water 
(includes home use, agricultural, and industrial use) in the 
UAE is approximately 133 gallons per day (the third-largest 
in the world, after the US and Canada), and consumers in Abu 
Dhabi are not charged for their water consumption.  Nearly 
all of the water produced in the UAE is desalinated seawater. 
 There is no strategic reserve of ground water or desalinated 
water in the UAE, a potential security concern.  The 
desalinated water in the pipelines is only enough to supply 
about 3 days of water. 
 
14.  (SBU) The UAE is a major oil exporting country, with 10% 
of the world,s known petroleum reserves, most of which lie 
in Abu Dhabi.  Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has established 
Health, Safety, and Environment policies and objectives 
including the elimination of hydrocarbon flaring and other 
policies designed to minimize the impact of the oil industry 
on the environment.  Based on a 1998 GCC resolution, the UAE 
phased out leaded gasoline and replaced it with unleaded 
gasoline as of January 1, 2003. 
 
15.  (SBU) Per capita energy consumption in the UAE is among 
the highest in the world.  The World Wildlife Federation,s 
2004 Living Planet Report listed the UAE as the country with 
the worst ecological impact per capita (Ref C), primarily for 
the significant area of land required to absorb the CO2 waste 
from fossil fuels.  Residents use large amounts of 
electricity and water to regulate temperature (through air 
conditioning in the extreme heat of summer.  The fast pace of 
industrial development and heavily subsidized electricity and 
water also contribute to the high per capita energy 
consumption. 
 
16.  (U) Overfishing of marine stocks in the Arabian Gulf is 
another key environmental priority.  Climate change in the 
Gulf also has an impact on the marine stocks.  ERWDA is 
currently conducting scientific reviews of fish stocks in the 
UAE, and every year fewer fishing permits are being issued. 
Like many other environmental issues in the UAE, however, 
overfishing has a socio-economic impact since many of the 
fishermen are among the poorest Emirati nationals. 
Preserving the industry also has cultural implications for 
the rapidly changing population. 
 
17.  (U) The UAE is aggressively involved in preserving 
wildlife, particularly through natural reserves and breeding 
programs for endangered species.  Particularly important is 
their houbara bustard breeding program.  Houbara bustards, a 
favored game bird in falconry (a traditional Bedouin sport 
favored today by many wealthy Emiratis) have been threatened 
by overhunting, and the UAE is actively involved in 
encouraging healthy breeding programs throughout the Middle 
East and Central Asia to maintain the bustard population and 
preserve the sport of falconry.  The UAE has also invested 
significant resources in maintaining healthy populations of 
falcons, gazelle, and oryx. 
 
18.  (U) Industrial pollution is not a major concern in the 
Emirates, although aggressive construction possesses a hazard 
to the natural resources.  Although EIAs are required for new 
construction, the size and speed of development in the UAE, 
especially in Dubai, remains a concern.  In a recent 
conference, the EEG noted in particular the growth of the 
tourism industry in the Emirate of Dubai, and the need to 
remain aware of the environmental impact of such rapid growth. 
 
19. (U) Four huge offshore projects in Dubai have started 
causing some changes in the environment, at least in the 
short term, and some environmentally-concerned residents have 
begun raising concerns.  The Palm Island Jumeirah, a 
billion-dollar-plus artificial island in the shape of a palm 
tree has reduced visibility, affected the underwater fauna, 
and even changed the water flows in the vicinity.  The 
environmental impact studies for this project indicate that 
these negative effects will be short-term, and that 
eventually the visibility will increase and the fauna will 
become more diversified than before.  The change in water 
flows has led to more beach erosion, but the developers are 
taking steps to prevent this, including building protective 
barriers. Two other Palm Islands, and 593,000 square feet of 
artificial islands called The World, are also planned or 
under construction. 
 
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Comment 
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20.  (SBU) The UAE has a fairly robust record on 
environmental protection, but there are significant areas for 
improvement.  Eliminating government subsidies that promote 
unsustainable water and electricity consumption would remove 
some of the most harmful practices in the UAE.  Increasing 
enforcement equally across the emirates would also offer 
greater checks on the major construction projects in the key 
areas of water resource management, marine fisheries, and 
energy consumption.  Finally, greater international 
cooperation, particularly with other Gulf countries, could 
encourage greater research and progress on protecting Arabian 
Gulf fisheries, water resource development, and cross-border 
wildlife preservation. 
 
 
SISON 
SISON