Environmental Laws in Abu Dhabi

It has long been a policy of the Abu Dhabi and UAE governments to protect the environment and several significant laws and regulations have been passed with that objective in mind. These need close scrutiny by any investor contemplating a project in Abu Dhabi, particularly in the industrial sector.

An investor seeking to establish a business with potential impact on the environment will, when consulting with the Economic Department about licensing requirements, be informed of any required approval from the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi or any other relevant competent authority. The Economic Department maintains a list of activities requiring such approvals and will not issue a commercial license until all relevant approvals have been obtained. In order to gain the Environment Agency's (or other competent authority's) approval it may be necessary to submit an environmental report detailing potential environmental effects of the business and the methods proposed to be