US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI3131

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, OES/ENV, EB/TPP/MTA 
STATE PASS USTR 
STATE PASS USGS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, KSCA, ECON, EPET, ETRD, TC 
SUBJECT: ABU DHABI EMIRATE RESTRUCTURES ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY 
 
REF: ABU DHABI 1408 
 
1. (U) President Khalifa bin Zayed signed a law on July 10, 
2005 that restructures the Emirate of Abu Dhabi's 
environmental authority.  Formerly known as the Environmental 
Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA), the new 
Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi has greatly increased 
enforcement authority, with new powers for inspection, 
penalties, and approval for environmental and wildlife 
regulations, policies and decrees.  Additionally, the 
authority specifically stipulates that the Environment 
Agency's mission will include working towards achieving 
sustainable development through environmental work and public 
promotion of environmental awareness.  The Environment Agency 
also has a new board of directors, including prominent royal 
family members including Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin 
Zayed as honorary chairman, Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed as chairman, and Minister for 
Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed as deputy 
chairman.  The board also includes influential environmental 
decision makers such as the deputy CEO of the Abu Dhabi 
National Oil Company (ADNOC) and the Minister of Health. 
 
2. (U) In practice, the new law allows the Environment Agency 
to further focus on inspection and enforcement.  Secretary 
General Majid Al Mansouri confirmed the Agency is planning on 
hiring more inspectors to better carry out its expanded 
mandate (already the largest division of the agency). 
Punishments for violations of the environmental laws include 
imprisonment, strict fines (a minimum of 1300 dollars), 
confiscation of hazardous equipment or material, and possible 
court-order restitution requiring the violator to remedy any 
damage to the environment. 
 
3. (U) The Environmental Agency, which has gained an 
increasingly prominent role since the death of Sheikh Zayed 
continues to grow.  It has established a new Water Resources 
division which is charge of the approximately 250 wells from 
the GTZ German groundwater assessment program which was 
terminated in April (reftel).  The Environmental Agency is 
also continuing talks with the Environmental Division of 
ADNOC on further environmental partnership activities, 
including possibly hosting a Renewable Energy Conference and 
Exhibition in 2006 or 2007.  Additionally, the Environmental 
Agency is continuing its review of the forestries program 
(formerly under the Ministry for Presidential Affairs) in the 
eastern part of Abu Dhabi Emirate. 
 
4. (SBU)  Comment:  The new law giving Abu Dhabi's 
environmental agency more legal authority on environmental 
assessment, the prominent members of the new board of 
directors, and the increasingly broad role of the agency in 
overseeing environmental affairs in Abu Dhabi Emirate all 
indicate an Abu Dhabi's focus on environmental protection. 
The personal involvement of the new leadership (particularly 
Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed) in environmental 
stewardship should result in increased public attention to 
environmental protection, as well as more environmentally 
friendly policies on construction, ground-water usage, and 
sustainable development. 
SISON