AD maintains balance between growth, eco progress

ABU DHABI: Ahmed Al Hashmi, Executive Director of Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), has shed light on how Abu Dhabi strikes the perfect balance between economic development and conservation of biodiversity.

He also explained how EAD played an important role in ensuring that businesses and infrastructure projects were planned with the environment in mind so as not to harm any local species.

Al Hashmi shared his thoughts during an inconversation session under the theme of “The Business Case for Biodiversity”. The event was held at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) Summit on the 17th of January at Abu Dhabi

National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

Also present was Prof. Carlos Manuel Duarte, a distinguished Professor of Marine Science at King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, in a session moderated by Adrien Portafaix of the Boston Consulting Group.

During the panel, Al Hashmi said, “Abu Dhabi has a different model for development. A model built around appreciation for nature and commitment to protect it, which is why our economic development plans integrate environmental conservation considerations. Much of this was rooted in the late Sheikh Zayed’s philosophy of conservation and a continuation of that legacy by successive leadership. His conservation legacy endures, with an even greater push towards creating a society which is based on the fundamentals of sustainable economic development, environmental conservation, while maintaining traditions and culture.”

“Businesses can not only succeed but also thrive only if they carefully integrate biodiversity and environmental conservation into their operations and management frameworks. This will only happen when they start believing in the value of natural resources, not only in the operational stages of their business, but during the planning and actual construction phases. They must assess the impact of their planned development, in terms of altering or destroying the natural resources, and then take corrective measures by adopting environment friendly designs, materials, and practices,” he added.

He then elaborated on EAD’S role, stating, “As a regulator in Abu Dhabi, it is our role and that of other relevant government entities to ensure there are adequate guidelines and regulations for development project permits, not only in the allocation of land but also at their construction and operation stages. We ensure that all development projects go through the necessary Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAS) before they are approved.”