As part of its mandate to protect the environment and ensure the sustainability of natural resources, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) announced the launch of the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Award.
The award was founded to encourage environmental initiatives, enhance interest in environmental work, help achieve positive change, and raise public awareness about the importance of environmental protection and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
In its first edition, the award includes three main categories and six sub-categories for nominees from the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The first main category includes the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Medal, which will be awarded to honour successful individuals who have achieved excellence in the field of environmental work. This main category contains three sub-categories: ‘optimal natural resource user’ (fishermen, farmers, owners of groundwater wells, falconers); ‘environmental initiators’ (individual environmental initiatives), and ‘environmental influencers.’
The second main category, Environmental Research Award, focuses on the best scientific research, either individual or collective, in the field of environment and sustainable development, through which innovative scientific and practical solutions to current and future environmental problems and challenges have been put forward. This category includes two sub-categories: the ‘research institution’ and ‘environmental researcher’.
The third main category, Environmental Performance Award, focuses on the best practices or pioneering activities in the field of environment and sustainable development for private institutions and industrial facilities. Under this category, one sub-category targets industrial facilities, large private companies, the aviation sector, and others.
The criteria for the awards were developed in cooperation with EFQM to take advantage of the organisation’s experience in developing diagnostic tools – the result of which was the creation of the Environmental diagnostic tool.
During the coming period, EAD will hold awareness workshops about the award, while nomination and participation requests will be opened as of May 28 through the EAD’s official website. This involves filling in an eligibility form after which the nominees will receive an update as to whether they are eligible to submit a nomination.
The award is open for self-nominations or third-party entries by entities (individuals or institutions) by all those with competence in the field of environmental management. Researchers and research institutions, private institutions and industrial establishments are assessed according to the criteria and conditions set by the Technical Committee of the Award.
The winners of the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Medal will be announced at a ceremony during COP28, and will receive a medal and financial reward, while those individuals who win the Environmental Scientific Research Award will receive a trophy and a financial reward. Entities and institutions have won have the right to put the logo of the award on its documents, publications, website and in advertising campaigns until announcing the results of the next cycle. The Agency will also publish the award winners’ success stories on EAD's website, with the aim of disseminating the benefits and promoting their win.
The award winners can present their success stories, review their outstanding performance and share them with others through seminars and training courses that will be held to introduce the award, and through related conferences.
Institutions and industrial establishments participating in the Environmental Performance Award can also benefit from fast-track environmental licensing and approval, and the classification of the winning establishment as one with a low risk to the environment. Entities will also be subjected to fewer environmental inspection visits and, in the case of industrial establishments will be issued licenses for a period of one year.