UAE Laws and Regulations for Environmental Protection

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Brief Profile
SWOT Analysis
Solutions and Recommendations
Conclusion
Reference List

Introduction

As well as any other country with a developed industry sector, UAE is likely to face numerous environmental problems that are particularly acute in the modern age. While advanced factories and manufacturing plants contribute to the countrys prosperity, they inevitably perform significant harm to the nature putting the local wildlife under a constant threat.

In the meantime, specialists point out that the activity of UAEs focused on the environment preservation has become more consistent and efficient within the past decades. Thus, the government shows high awareness of the current challenges encouraging both governmental structures and non-governmental groups to work-out productive solutions (Aspinall, n.d.).

The paper at hand provides a brief analysis of the UAE laws and regulations aimed at protecting the environment. One attempts to examine the existing environmental policy as well as to estimate its major benefits and drawbacks. A particular emphasis will be put on elucidating solutions and recommendations for potential improvements.

Brief Profile

The principal governmental structure responsible for the problems of the environment in UAE is the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW). The fundamental function of the relevant institution is to ensure effective development that does not endanger the local environment. The ministry deals with several branches of the protection field including agriculture, animals, water resources, and support services (UAE State of Environment Report, 2015).

Another organization with a similar function is the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi. The institution was founded two decades ago, and it now focuses both on the preservation of the environment and raising the level of green mentality in population. The agency cooperates closely with other organizations of a common character including local private companies, NGOs and international agencies (Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, 2016).

From the legislative perspective, the protection of environment is regulated in accordance with the following laws:

UAE Hunting Law, Federal Law No. (9) for 1983 the law is aimed at restricting hunting for particular species of birds and animals. Its implementation was determined by a crucial decline in the population of some representatives of fauna in UAE (Aspinall, n.d.).
Federal Law No. (7) of 1993 for the establishment of the Federal Environment Agency the relevant documents state the objectives and goals of the agency and elucidate the financial side of its functioning (Aspinall, n.d.).
Federal Law No. (23) for 1999 for Protection of the Marine Environment the law introduces a series of guidelines for the appropriate exploitation of marine resources.

Finally, one of the most consistent laws that provide regulations for general environmental protection is Federal Law No. (24) for 1999 for Protection and Development of the Environment. According to the relevant document, the preservation activity is to focus on protecting the environmental diversity, fighting and restricting all kinds of pollution and harmful activity, contributing to the development of local species, to name but a few (Federal Law No. (24) of 1999 for the Protection and Development of the Environment, 1999). One of the principal benefits of this document is a relatively recent date of issue; thus, it takes into account all the peculiarities and difficulties that exist in the current context.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

The analysis of the UAE structures responsible for the preservation of the local environment shows that the relevant system has numerous advantages. To begin with, one of the targets of the local government implies the development of the so-called green economy. Therefore, the authorities are determined to maintain a balance between industrial development and environmental sustainability (UAE State of Green Economy Report, 2014). The relevant approach seems to be highly reasonable because any efforts aimed at environmental protection are useless unless the economic sector is involved in the activity.

Furthermore, the environmental policy is highly transparent. Thus, the Ministry of Environment and Water provides annual reports that elucidate all the critical points regarding the environmental issue. The following strategy allows maximizing the efficiency of the institutes performance, increases the general level of the populations awareness, and enables one to foreground beneficial solutions.

Moreover, a particular emphasis is laid on the innovative aspect in the framework of the environment. Hence, the government performs significant contributions to the development of the innovative technologies capable of minimizing the risks of pollution without thwarting the progress (UAE State of Environment Report, 2015).

Another positive characteristic of the environmental policy of UAE is including environmentally-focused education on the top-priority list. The government makes a lot of effort to improve the scientific knowledge in the relevant field by founding various institutions and encouraging foreign specialist to the share their knowledge. The international cooperation helps the country to stay in steps with the latest trends. One should likewise point out that a major part of the efforts is aimed at informing the locals on the problems of the environmental sector (UAE State of Environment Report, 2015).

Finally, the favorable statistics serve to be a sign of a high-quality performance in the environmental field. Hence, according to the official report, the population of UAE has increased significantly within the past ten years. More than that, the volume of organic production in the area has enlarged to more than a triple (UAE State of Environment Report, 2015).

Weaknesses

Among the weaknesses of the environmental policy in UAE, one might point out the lack of cooperation between governmental organizations and the local community. Whereas the Ministry announces social participation to be one of the key aspects of efficient performance, they do not provide any explanation on how such participation can be potentially realized (UAE State of Environment Report, 2015). As a consequence, one may presume that the majority of the population remains uninvolved in the common activity aimed at the preservation of the environment.

Opportunities

One of the most promising projects of UAE in the framework of environmental preservation is the development of green economy. In case the country succeeds in realizing the announced plans, it has an opportunity to become the leader in the region. Moreover, the current global market shows a high demand for the innovations that both preserve the nature and maximize performance. Thus, UAE is likely to receive considerable profit in case their technologies prove to be effective from the economic perspective.

Threats

One should necessarily note that UAE is likely to face both regional and global challenges. First and foremost, the major threat of the nearest future is excessive amounts of waste that local industry produces. Thus, the Minister of Environment and Water, Dr. Rashid bin Fahad, notes that the problem of managing waste is acute for all the countries in the modern world. Its solution requires the implementation of innovative strategies. (Todorova, 2014).

Another serious challenge, which is particularly important for the relevant area, is the shortage of seawater. The dry climate of the local region complicates the situation and makes the authorities look for alternative ways out. According to the research, the level of the ground water in the region has decreased significantly since the end of the twentieth century.

Lastly, it is the consequences of the greenhouse effect that concern the UAE government as well as the rest of the world. The increased temperature, along with a high level of gas concentration, represents a danger to the local environment (UAE State of Environment Report, 2015).

Solutions and Recommendations

One might assume that the UAE environmental policy might benefit in case the government encourages local communities to take an active part in the common activity. To create consistent motivation, one might, first and foremost, increase the level of the general awareness in the population. The relevant mission can be accomplished by creating more organization that will be responsible for informing the locals on the current environmental threats, involving them in some socially useful activities and monitoring the state of the environment and the effectiveness of the current regulations.

Moreover, it is essential to note that some of the challenges are too global for UAE to cope with them alone. Hence, such issues as the shortage of water, the greenhouse effect, and the management of waste need closer cooperation with the world community. Therefore, UAE might particularly focus on collaborating with other representatives of the region as the latter have common problems and are aware of the peculiarities of the relevant area.

Conclusion

The analysis of laws and regulations for environmental protection in UAE has shown that the country pursues a reasonable and consistent policy in the relevant field. One should necessarily note that the local Ministry of Environment and Water announces promising plans in the following direction. Hence, the government is determined to transform the economic sector and make it less harmful. Therefore, one has enough reasons to presume that UAE has chances to become the leader of the region from the perspective of environmental protection and preservation.

In the meantime, the country has to face problems the solution of which requires external assistance. Therefore, the collaboration between UAE and other countries and global organizations is likely to continue due to the presence of common threats and challenges.

Reference List

Aspinall, S n.d., Environmental Development and Protection in the UAE, Web.

Environment Agency Abu Dhabi 2016, About Us, Web.

Federal Law No. (24) of 1999 for the Protection and Development of the Environment 1999, Web.

Todorova, V 2014, Sweeping Changes to Environmental Protection in the UAE, The National, Web.

UAE State of Environment Report 2015, Web.

UAE State of Green Economy Report2014, Web.

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