Environmental database urged

The Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) yesterday received suggestions from Abu Dhabi Municipality's Town Planning Department and the UAE Military Survey Department for setting up a planned environmental database.

The database will ensure an efficient provision of information to the decision-makers. The Agency has been working on the project for quite some time through a coordinated effort involving different government departments and institutions.

The Town Planning Depart-ment and the Military Survey Department of the UAE Armed Forces presented their views, experience and suggestions at a meeting arranged by ERWDA yesterday at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation.

The meeting was attended by senior representatives of both the departments and ERWDA. ERWDA officials reviewed the progress in the setting up of the database and its extension to other organisations and departments that attended the meeting. The Agency has been developing standards for data storage.

An ERWDA official said that the environmental database will substantially improve efficiency by doing away with data duplication. It will also facilitate the swift provision of relevant information to decision makers.

It is believed that the database will be a major scientific and management asset for ERWDA and the participating departments and institutions in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The official noted that it will be used to integrate available information to address specific environmental issues.

Protecting the environment has always been of paramount importance to Abu Dhabi. ERWDA was established in 1996 with an overall aim to enhance the sustainable development of Abu Dhabi emirate's environment and wildlife.