Suaad Al- Harthi Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi

1. Suaad Al- HarthiEnvironment Agency - Abu Dhabi Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Impacts in the United Arab Emirates September 21, 2010

2. Contents: • UAE Country and Coastal Ecosystems Overview • Efforts toward Climate Change at the Federal Level • Sea Level Rise Scenarios • Taking Action • Status of Climate Change Policy in UAE

3. Country and Coastal Ecosystems Overview

4. Ecosystem Stress and Vulnerability • Extreme temperature and salinity • Arid, not much freshwater recharge • Anthropogenic pressures • El Nino events • Climate Change and Sea Level Rise

5. The 1st and 2nd National Communication Report

6. Main Chapters of the National Communication Report: • National Circumstances • National Greenhouse Gas Inventory • Vulnerability and Adaptation • Greenhouse Gas Mitigation • Steps to Implement the Convention

7. Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability & Adaptation

8. Sea Level Rise Scenarios: • Scenario 1: No accelerated ice cap melting • 2050: 1 meters above mean sea level • 2100: 2 meters above mean sea level • Scenario 2: Accelerated ice capmelting • 2050: 3 meters above mean sea level • 2100: 9 meters above mean sea level

9. Results • Areas Inundated were quantified • 1m – much of Abu Dhabi remains above water • 3m – several offshore islands are visibly underwater and inland flooding extensive • 9m – total land area of 4984km2 inundated • Human infrastructure constrains ability of coastal ecosystems to adapt 11/1/2010

10. Climate Change Impacts on UAE • Water Resources • Increased stress on water supply systems • Threatened water supplies to urban areas • Possible changes to sensitive ecosystems • Coastal Zones • Sabkha inundation • Mangrove retreat and inundation • Erosion • Seagrass loss and migration • Coral reef mortality and bleaching • Increased storm frequency 1) The Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation Dryland ecosystems The disappearance of some species of plants and animals threatened with extinction

11. Taking Action • Development of National and Local Climate Change Policy • Observation Networks • GHG Inventory and Mitigation Initiatives • Sustainable Management of Water Resources • Sustainable Management of Biodiversity • Awareness and Capacity Building

12. Adaptation In Coastal Zones • Develop strategic information systems • Monitoring, Analysis, Planning • Tide Gauges • Indicators • Track erosion and inundation • Implement win-win strategies • ICZM • Protection • Awareness building • Modest Adaptation

13. Masdar Initiative Estidama Initiative Carbon Capture and Storage CNG as an alternative fuels Clean transportation alternatives Other programs

14. Status of Climate Change Policy in UAE: • The direction was to postpone the approval of “Abu Dhabi Climate Change Policy” till after Copenhagen CoP (Dec, 2009) • The new direction after Copenhagen CoP was to develop a NATIONAL POLICY For CLIMATE CHANGE at the federal level. • A new Division was established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called “Directorate of Energy and Climate Change” • A higher committee has been established to develop the “National Policy for Climate Change”: • Ministry of Environment and Water • Ministry of Energy • Ministry of Foreign affairs • An executive committee will be established involving key authorities in each emirate (EAD, SPC, Dubai Municipalities…etc) • ********************

15. Thank You