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'Environmental Rights'
Environmental Protection - United Arab Emirates |
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First
Published April 09, 2008;
Last updated May 09, 2008
The oil and gas industry is the main
source of CO2 emissions, followed by
the power and transportation
sectors. The UAE's large coastal
population, it's involvement and
activities in Construction such as
mile-high towers, mega projects, Sea
ports, Air ports, Oil terminals,
Petrochemical factories and
fertilizer production plants that
can have adverse environmental
effects.
Many of the
impacts are linked with oil and
chemical spills, construction, the physical
alterations of the coastal system,
marine environment making it one
 of
the largest sources of air water
pollution, harm to vulnerable
ecosystems and greenhouse gases.
Presently, the UAE has one of the
highest per capita commercial energy
consumption rates in the world and
the rate is alarmingly increasing.
The UAE, despite being quite a small
population, UAE has one of the
highest per capita emission rates in
the world and the worst carbon
dioxide (CO2) offender
from the GCC.
The UAE's CO2 emissions increased
from 60,809,000 tonnes in 1990 to
94,163,000 tonnes in 2002.
The number of the greenhouse gas
production rate (In million metric
tons) have risen steadily in
recent years.
The UAE Federal Environment Agency
was formed in 1993 to manage the
environment of the Emirates and to
implement national environmental
laws.
The Environmental Research and
Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA)
was established in 1996, to
protect the natural wealth of the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and to promote
sustainable development.
The UAE ratified the Kyoto Protocol
in January 2005. It entered into
force 16 February 2005. According to
the protocol UAE, as a non Annex 1
country, is not obligated to reduce
its emissions.
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Earth Science
The
current levels of carbon dioxide
(CO2) in the atmosphere are higher
than at any time during the last
650,000 years. Science tells us with
increasing certainty that we are in
for a serious long-term problem that
will affect all of us.
Related links at:
Earth Science» |
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Oil & Gas Industry, UAE
The
UAE’s proven oil reserves now stand
at around 98 billion barrels,
representing just under 10 percent
of total world oil reserves. Abu
Dhabi’s proven oil reserves now
account for 94 percent of the UAE’s
total oil reserves.
The UAE’s natural gas reserves are
212 trillion cubic feet (tcf), the
fifth largest in the world after
Russia, Iran, Qatar and Saudi
Arabia. The largest natural gas
reserves, amounting to 196 trillion
cubic feet (tcf) are located in Abu
Dhabi. Consumption of natural gas
also has doubled in Abu Dhabi over
last decade, and is projected to
reach 4 billion cubic feet by 2005.
UAE's Petrochemicals industry is one
of the largest, fast-growing due to
the abundant supplies of oil and
gas.
Building & Construction Industry
Finance including billions of US
dollars of GCC Sheikhs is being
invested in Dubai Emirate in
colossal buildings and the vast
man-maid Islands.
Thousands of people are working
simultaneously to shape a cluster of
world's biggest palm islands, shaped
like giant palm trees, the World
projects of 300 plus islands shaped
and arrayed like continents on a map
of the world, have been dredged out
of the Persian Gulf sand, and
soon-to-be world’s tallest building,
the Burj Dubai.
Abu Dhabi, who has enormous oil
reserves, is racing to catch-up with
neighboring Dubai with a series of
fantasy projects designed to create
a 21st century Arab metropolis! (Building
and Construction Industry)
Building Towers & Cheating Workers!
The UAE is currently undergoing a
dramatic construction boom, and most
of the 700,000 construction workers
in the country are from South Asian
countries such as India, Pakistan
and Bangladesh.
There are no independent
organizations to monitor the
construction sector or any other
labour sector to report and document
abuses systematically, and to
advocate for migrant workers’
rights. UAE law contains no
provisions on workers’ rights to
organize and to bargain collectively
and explicitly punishes striking
workers. (Full text at:
Building Towers, Cheating Workers!)
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