Climate Change: Impacts and Potential Risks in Abu Dhabi Vision 2030

Introduction

Climate change and its effects have been a major concern to not only Abu Dhabi but also the world at large. The current state of the environment in Abu Dhabi is alarming, as the utilization of the environmental resources is above average. In addition, the level of dust in the atmosphere has increased. The population of fish in water bodies in Abu Dhabi has decreased by 20% compared to what it was in 1978 (Environmental Agency – Abu Dhabi, n.d.). More than 25% of the land in Abu Dhabi is grazed beyond the recommended levels (Environmental Agency, n.d.). The underground water is predicted to be drained within the next 55 years (Environmental Agency, n.d.). According to Environmental Agency (n.d.), Abu Dhabi is among the places that use large volumes of water that exceeds the average per capita rates. Its rate of use of power is 10 times more than the global averages (Environmental Agency, n.d.). Abu Dhabi has implemented various institutional, educational, social, legal, technological, and economic initiatives to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Methodology

The paper utilized publications from various reputable sources, including institutions mandated by the government such as the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi in collaboration with various environmental policy makers.

Literature Review

The high likelihood of climate change in United Arabs Emirates as a result of overutilization of water, electricity, and vegetation in addition to producing large volumes of dust led to the development of Abu Dhabi Environment Vision 2030. The Abu Dhabi Environment Vision 2030 has three standards allocated to five major areas (Environmental Agency, n.d.). The three values are the following: the condition of the environment in 2010, the target condition of the environment in 2030 without adversely interfering with the nation’s economic targets, and the eventual state of the environment to ensure sustainability (Environmental Agency, n.d.). The vision 2030 is aimed at lowering the harm to the environment, maximizing the benefits to the environment by creating policies, projects, and strategies that would enable environmental sustainability. The five standards of emphasis in Abu Dhabi environment vision 2030 include reducing climate change consequences, promoting wellbeing and safety of citizens, conserving water and biodiversity, and managing transformation efficiently.

Abu Dhabi is a desert and a coastal city. Thus, environmental conservation takes center stage. It has environmental frameworks in place that help it to prepare, mitigate, and respond to climate change issues. It faces water problems, as it is more costly in terms of money and energy. Its costs to the environment are also high as a result of the manufacture of brine concentrate, which must be disposed of (Environmental Agency, n.d.). As Abu Dhabi is a coastal city, there is high likelihood of water contamination. Effective conservation, management, and education are required in order to nurture the environment. Moreover, the global warming in the world increases the chances of rising of the levels of sea (Environmental Agency, n.d.). According to Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (2007), in the future the sea levels in Abu Dhabi will rise by 0.75m as a result of global warming. The rising sea levels may negatively affect the environment if proper actions are not taken to mitigate global warming. It may raise the temperatures of sea surface, raise the thermostatic level of the sea, enhance tidal variation, escalate storm frequency, and increase soil erosion along the coast (Dougherty, 2009). By and large, the rising sea level may greatly interfere with or affect the coastal fauna and flora.

The Abu Dhabi Urban Structure Framework Plan stipulates the design of green buildings with facilities for conserving water, energy, and ensuring air quality in a bid to conserve the environment. The framework has put in place various initiatives that ensure conservation and preservation of the environment. It has created a national park system that enables housing of marine and terrestrial environment. It has also put in place the idea of ‘Green Gradient’ that enables effective environmental conservation in both the urbanized and natural center of the park (Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, 2007). The planning and building of the areas are made in a ‘green’ initiative to make sure they align with the environmental requirements of the place. "Desert Fingers" aim at preventing sprawl that would separate the water body and the desert.

Results

The Abu Dhabi has put in place various initiatives to help it prepare, mitigate, and respond to climate change. Its environment vision 2030 has defined various areas that need attention and the implementation of various measures to mitigate, prepare for, and respond to the effects of climate change. The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council has also stipulated the plans to ensure the city’s ecology and environment are protected and conserved to ensure sustainability. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) offers the best direction that is necessary to take to minimize the risks and impacts of climate change.

Discussion

Climate Change Risks and Impact

The risks and impacts of climate change are grave if not properly handles by various governmental and non-governmental organizations. In many places globally, the melting of ice and snow as a result of climate change shifts hydrological systems, negatively affecting the quality and quantity of water resources. Climate change has also affected the yields of crops and increased ocean acidity, influencing ocean life (The Core Writing Team, Pachauri, & Meyer, 2014). Climate change has also increased the number of warm nights and days and lowered the number of cold nights and days. It led to the increased extremes related to climate, namely heat waves, cyclones, droughts and floods. The continued emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere leads to warming and permanent changes to all aspects of the climate system, escalating the irreparable impacts to humans and ecology.

Preparedness, Mitigation, and Response Plan

Abu Dhabi, through its environmental agency, has put in place measures to mitigate the effects of climate change; thus, it is ready to combat climate change. The city has implemented various strategies of dealing with rising sea level, lowering the soil erosion in the coastal regions, preventing water pollution, preserving biodiversity and sea species, and lowering carbon emissions into the atmosphere (Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, 2007). For instance, the city has a plan of ensuring ‘green’ design of buildings to maximize air quality and lower the greenhouse gas emissions and power consumption.

The city has established climate mitigation policies and ensured cooperation among various stakeholders in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. It innovates and invests in infrastructures and technologies that help mitigate the effects of climate change. It ensures the development of human resources by providing equal access to education, health, nutrition, secure housing, and social systems or amenities (Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, 2007). It also gives priorities to its citizens when it comes to employment opportunities in the public sector. These measures enable improved knowledge on matters of environmental conservation and ensure investment in strategies that help mitigate climate change (The Core Writing Team et al., 2014). The city also helps improve the livelihood of its citizens and strives to fight poverty. It controls its resources and ensures effective utilization of land and water. It has a strategy of lowering disasters and effectively and swiftly responds to disasters when they happen. The citizens can purchase insurance policies that cover the possible losses from various adverse effects caused by climate change (Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, 2007). It provides a safe environment for doing business, has upgraded its infrastructure, allows various stakeholders to help in decision making, and ensures its populace has adequate income.

The city has mapped potential locations prone to hazards, has proper drainage systems, has a system for effective management of wastewater, and a transport management plan that ensures low production of wastes and reduced emissions of dust to the atmosphere. It effectively maintains urban green spaces, its sea and desert areas, and plants trees along the coast (Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, 2007). It manages areas that are prone to floods and implements urban planning practices that help reduce the effects of climate change. In addition, it has strong institutions that help develop and implement environmental conservation initiatives such as the UAE Green Agenda. It has various laws and regulations that promote insurance buying, ensures the universal distribution of water, encourages green building, plans and prepares for disasters, manages its water resources, and provides financial help or incentives to programs that help conserve the environment (Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, 2007). It also ratified the Kyoto Protocol Convention on Climate Change, becoming the first nation that generates oil signing the convention (The Core Writing Team et al., 2014). It is currently engaged in implementing fourteen projects under the Clean Development Mechanism, which aim at lowering the emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by one million tons yearly (Baldwin, 2017). The nation’s UAE National Climate Change Plan outlines the strategies of responding to the adverse impacts of climate change.

Conclusion

The impacts of climate change are grave and may lead to global warming if proper steps to mitigate it are not made. Nonetheless, Abu Dhabi has developed various strategies of mitigating climate change including institutional, educational, social, and economic measures. It has a climate change response management plan that enables it to effectively respond to various climate change issues it faces. It is currently aiming at promoting green energy. Overall, the city has a preventive strategy of tackling climate change and its impacts through its well-established rules, institutions, laws, and regulations.

 Read more blogs on https://gold-essays.com/