Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi in the Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, chaired the second board meeting of the agency for 2026, praising the agency's efforts and strategic initiatives, which contribute to advancing environmental sustainability, community health, and quality of life in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The meeting, held at Qasr Al Nakheel, was attended by His Excellency Mansour Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Department of Economic Development – Abu Dhabi; His Excellency Mohammed Ali Al Sharfa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport; Nasser Mohammed Al Mansoori, Undersecretary of the Office of the Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi in the Al Dhafra Region; Dr. Tariq Ahmed Al Ameri, Acting Director General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority; Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi; and Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Hamdan affirmed that the achievements made by the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the field of environmental protection and conservation of natural resources embody the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God preserve him, and his continued support for the sustainable development journey, as well as his commitment to cementing the United Arab Emirates' status as a global model in environmental sustainability and water security.
He was briefed on the agency's key performance indicators, which revealed a tangible improvement in environmental quality and biodiversity in Abu Dhabi. In the area of air quality, the compliance rate with national standards reached approximately 98%, meeting the target.
On the marine environment front, the microbial index maintained its optimal level at 100%, the sustainable fisheries index remained at its ideal level of 100%, and the marine water nutritional enrichment index stood at 85.5%.
The board was also briefed on the agency's efforts to enhance the emirate's readiness to ensure continuity of water supply in emergency situations, particularly initiatives related to the provision of groundwater fields and wells. These are based on field assessments of 8 areas in Al Dhafra and Al Ain, a survey of approximately 520 wells, and the selection of the Umm Ghafa, Al Shuwaib, and Kashona areas to supply 4 desalination stations with a production capacity of up to 30,000 cubic metres, in addition to the preparation of a general framework for groundwater management governance.
During the meeting, attendees were also briefed on the agency's most notable achievements this year in the biodiversity sector, which highlighted an integrated system of land and marine efforts that cement Abu Dhabi's leading position as a scientific and environmental reference at the regional level. The agency launched aerial seed dispersal programmes of more than 10 million seeds for 2026 and 2027 as part of its ongoing efforts to rehabilitate vegetation cover and preserve natural habitats in the emirate. Meanwhile, the research vessel Joun — the most advanced and sophisticated vessel in the Middle East — continued its field operations in 2026, covering 2,868 kilometres of scientific surveys and collecting 206 environmental samples from 81 sites, bringing the total distance surveyed since its launch in 2023 to more than 50,300 kilometres.