Abu dhabi: H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), chaired the Agency’s Board of Directors meeting and praised EAD’s strategic projects and initiatives during 2025, which contributed to enhancing community health and improving the quality of life in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
According to Emirates News Agency, the meeting, held at Al Nakheel Palace, was attended by key figures including Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of EAD; and several other prominent officials. H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed was briefed on the outputs of the EAD’s five-year plan (2021-2025) and its achievements in environmental protection and resource sustainability.
The plan has improved the environmental framework’s efficiency and supported Abu Dhabi’s environmental objectives. The Agency has achieved a leading position regionally and globally, ranking first regionally and sixth globally in environmental compliance, inspection, enforcement, environmental knowledge, and strategic governance.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed highlighted the Agency’s transformation in environmental policy and legislation, emphasizing scientific approaches to development and impact assessment, which have strengthened enforcement and compliance. By the end of 2025, the Emirate achieved an air quality index of 90 percent, surpassing the European average. The ‘Eltezam’ digital platform was launched, significantly reducing inspection times and doubling inspector productivity.
The Agency introduced the region’s first climate change strategy, aligned with national objectives, leading to a reduction of 37 million tonnes of emissions through 80 projects by 14 entities. An adaptation plan for the environmental sector and a monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system were also established, covering 75 percent of the emirate’s emissions.
The Agency’s efforts in terrestrial and marine biodiversity saw protected areas expand to cover 20 percent of the Emirate’s total area. Initiatives like the Abu Dhabi Coral Gardens focused on habitat rehabilitation, including planting millions of mangrove seedlings and implementing programs for rare plant species propagation.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed also reviewed the ‘Hamdan bin Zayed: The World’s Richest Seas’ initiative, aiming to double fish stocks and enhance marine resources, following the Emirate’s 100 percent achievement in the Sustainable Fisheries Index.
The ‘Mission to Zero’ campaign raised environmental awareness to 91 percent by 2025, while the single-use plastic policy reduced consumption by 95 percent. The development of the State of the Environment Report, now powered by artificial intelligence, reduced preparation time from 30,000 working hours to just one hour.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed learned about EAD’s 2026-2030 strategy, focusing on zero waste, circular environmental approaches, ecotourism, and smart solutions. These efforts aim to enhance Abu Dhabi’s global standing in nature preservation.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed emphasized the Agency’s role in fostering a culture of sustainability among children to ensure continued biodiversity protection, improved air and water quality, and sustainable resource management in the future.
