Abu Dhabi, 27th November 2024: The Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi (EAD), in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), is embarking on a public consultation project focused on air quality and noise to ensure that the voices of the community in Abu Dhabi are heard and represented.
The Agency will be actively soliciting input from the public regarding proposed policies, regulations and strategies prior to their formal adoption to reflect the needs, expectations, and interests of the community in policy making. Through this project, EAD in collaboration with ADPHC aim to provide a comprehensive approach through addressing ambient and indoor air quality, noise, and odour together, creating a better quality of life for residents and citizens.
The public consultation survey is established to obtain feedback from residents of Abu Dhabi regarding air quality and noise levels in the emirate. It covers both outdoor and indoor air quality, odours and noise pollution. The survey aims to assess public awareness, personal experiences with air and noise pollution, and related health impacts. It also seeks suggestions on improving air quality and reducing noise levels in the emirate.
The public consultation will be conducted through a public poll that will be launched to gather input from a wide range of residents, allowing everyone to participate in the decision-making process via Abu Dhabi-related social media platforms. A series of local community consultation sessions will also be held providing a more personal and interactive platform for community members to go through the poll. These gatherings will foster open dialogue and ensure that locals questions are heard and answered.
The data from the initiative will be analysed by the Policy Public Consultation team from EAD, that will quantify the overall public opinion highlighting common concerns, suggestions, or areas for improvement. Thematic analysis will also be conducted to help target areas of concerns or interest. Additionally, the analysis will include pattern identification in terms of public awareness and air-friendly practices. Sentiment analysis will also be conducted to assess the tone of responses (positive, negative, or neutral) to help refine communication strategies and clarify concerns.
The Agency will use the survey’s results to ensure the analysis of public perspective is informing the development of actions and solutions related to air quality and noise. In addition, EAD will share the analysis with concerned government stakeholders to inform emirate-wide action and collaboration.