Abu Dhabi, 12th December 2024: His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), issued Decree No. (6) of 2024 regarding the issuance of a policy to protect soil from degradation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The decree stipulates that EAD, in coordination with the concerned entities, will follow up on the policy instruments contained in the policy and implement them according to its time plan. The Agency will also oversee the analysis of the impacts resulting from the policy's implementation, utilising systematic and organised procedures that will contribute to the achievement of the policy's objectives.
The policy aims to ensure soil sustainability and optimal use to support sustainable development plans in the emirate. Its objectives include strengthening regulatory frameworks, adopting sustainable land and soil management systems, preserving public health and ecosystems, in addition to raising awareness of the importance of soil and reducing its degradation.
EAD, in close cooperation with the emirate’s government agencies, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Abu Dhabi Ports, supervised the preparation of this policy and ensured its alignment with national policies.
The policy reviews the current situation, challenges, and impacts of soil quality deterioration in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and its legal framework. This policy will be applied to various soil types and uses within the sectors of urban development and planning, the industrial sector, the agricultural sector, and the oil and gas exploration sector, in addition to coastal areas and terrestrial protected areas.
Abu Dhabi has diverse terrestrial ecosystems, including desert sands, Jebel Hafeet and wadis in Al Ain, plains and dunes, and coastal sabkhas. The emirate’s soil faces many challenges, including soil erosion and salinisation, low levels of organic matter, and signs of poor soil quality in some locations. In response to these challenges, the policy will be implemented and measures will be adopted to protect and optimise soil use to support sustainable development plans in the emirate.