For the course of Environmental Policy (ENS 220) we were assigned to conduct a research

on Air Protection Policy: Air emissions

Student ID

Bashar OwdetAllah 1069779

Ali Khaled 1079546

College of Health Sciences

Spring 19/20

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Table of Contents

List of tables figures 3

Introduction 4

1. The problem 4
2. The main impact 4
3. Background 4
4. Study’s aim 4

Results 5

1. Major air emissions sources in the UAE and their impacts 5

2. The impacts of air emission on the environment in the region & UAE 6
3. UAE regulations for protecting air from emissions 7
4. International treaties on air emissions 7
Discussion 8

Abstract 9

1. Background 9
2. Methodology 9
3. Results 9
4. Conclusion 9
5. Recommendations 9

Reference 10

Appendix A 11

Appendix B 13

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List of tables figures

Figure 1: the percentages of air emission sources 5

Figure 2: the sources of air emission in the UAE 5
Figure 3: the effect of air pollutions 6
Figure 4: air emission in the UAE 6
Figure 5: Federal Law No 24 7
Figure 6: website document 7
Table 1: The information above from a governmental document in the UAE 7

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Introduction

1. The Problem

People tend to use the word emission when gases and particles emitted from different sources
into the air we breathe. The sources that emit these gases are “industrial activities, technology
improvements, traffic, and by many other factors” (Air Pollution Emissions Overview, 2016).
Usually, these type of gases and particles is toxic and pollute to the air environment.
Therefore, the environmental protection agency has listed a list of regulations regarding the
safety of air environment.

2. The main impact

The major impact of air emission is soot and smog; smog is when the burnt fossil fuel
interacts with the sunlight, and soot is any particles in the form of gases of solids that are
carried with the wind, such as soil, dust, smoke, and others. Moreover, both smog and soot
have the same sources “Both come from cars and trucks, factories, power plants, incinerators,
engines, anything that combusts fossil fuels such as coal, gas, or natural gas” (Mackenzie,
2016).

3. Background

The main goal of Air Protection Policy is to fulfil the purpose of the Clean Air Act. The
Clean Air Act was launched in 1970 and modified in both years 1977 and 1990. However, the
Clean Air Act comes under the Environmental Protection Agency, and the main purpose of it
is to protect the human’s heath. In doing so, the air quality must enhance and restored (The
Clean Air Act, 2010).

4. Study’s aim

The main aim of this report is to understand the environmental protection policies. Also, to
study the main sources, the major impacts on the environment, the UAE’s protection policies,
and the international treaties on air emissions.

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Results

1. Major air emissions sources in the UAE and their impacts

Figure 1: the percentages of air emission sources (Zeyoudi,

2019)

Figure 1 shows the sources of air emission in the UAE with

percentages of each sources. However, these sources are for
Particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in diameter. Nevertheless, for different air
emissions, there are different sources of causes. For example, Carbon Monoxide have 4
sources of emission, Nitrogen Oxides have seven different sources, and Non-methane volatile
organic compounds have eight sources of emission (Zeyoudi, 2019).

Figure 2: the sources of air emission in the UAE (Zeyoudi, 2019).

Figure two shows all the types of air emission in the UAE and the sources for each type with
the percentage that source emits.

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The effects of air emission are extremely dangerous for all living beings. Furthermore, these
impacts often cause death. According to the world health organization (WHO), air pollution
has caused about seven million deaths all over the world. Not only air pollution effect
human’s health, but also its effects the climate, water, energy, and food. The figure below
further explains the effects of the air pollution on all the other factors.

Figure 3: the effect of air pollutions (Jessica Seddon, Seth Contreras and Beth Elliott , 2019).

2. The impacts of air emission on the environment in the region & UAE

The impacts of air emission on the environment is can be determined on many sectors. For
example, poor air quality, the effects of poor air quality are mainly on humans and living
beings. Due to poor air quality, humans could inhale harmful dust and chemicals which may
causes a lot of diseases including cancer. Moreover, according to EcoMENA.org there are
“Three factors have been determined to be the most influential for the air quality of an area:
The terrain, the meteorology, and the emissions.” (Sánchez, 2018).

Figure 4: air emission in the UAE (Sánchez, 2018).

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 3. UAE regulations for protecting air from emissions
In the late 1999, the UAE have issued a list of legislations regarding the protection of the
environment. These legislations consist on several laws: law no. 1 of 1972, regarding the
ministries power to altern the laws. Law no. 3 of 1979 on the Civil defense. Law no. 7 of
1979 on farming quarantine. Law no. 8 of 1980 on the rules regarding the professional
relations (Federal Law No 24, 1999). In addition, there are nine more federal laws regarding
the environment protection. The website below is the translation of the original document
file:///C:/Users/my/Downloads/L24-99%20Eng.pdf

Figure 5: Federal Law No 24 (Federal Law No 24, 1999)

To lower the air emission in the UAE and to keep a good air quality, the government of the
UAE have listed some regulations to limit the production of the chemicals for the companies
that produces chemicals that harms the environment.
Some of these limitations is:

 The maximum allowable limit of Sulfur Dioxides ( SO 2) is 350 µg/m2 per 1 hour, 150
µg/m2 per 24 hours, and 50 µg/m2per 1 year.
 The maximum allowable limit of Carbon Monoxide ( CO ¿ is 23 (mg) µg/m 2 per 1
hour, 10 (mg) µg/m2 per 8 hours.
 The maximum allowable limit of Nitrogen Dioxide ( NO 2) is 290 µg/m2 per 1 hour,
160 µg/m2 per 24 hours.

The information above from a governmental document in the UAE (Government of Dubai,
2018).
Check the appendix for table 1.

4. International treaties on air emissions

In 1979, a convention on long-range transboundary air pollution was agreed upon
internationally. The convention agreed on 18 articles to protect the environment from air
pollution and enhance the air quality. Before all parties agreed on these 18 article, they
discussed a certain measures to follow such as “Recognizing the existence of possible
adverse effects, Recognizing the need to study the implications of the long-range transport of
air pollutants, Affirming their willingness to reinforce active international cooperation to
develop appropriate national policies, etc.” (The Convention and its achievements, n.d.). The
website below further explains the measures they all agreed upon and state the 18 articles.

https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/lrtap/full%20text/1979.CLRTAP.e.pdf

Figure 6: website document (The Convention and its achievements, n.d.)

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Discussion
The main reason of us writing this project is to understand the environmental protection
policies. As the results showed, there are different sources for air emission, and each
industrial sector is responsible to emit several emissions in different percentages. Moreover,
the study showed the impact of air emission on human’s health, climate, water, energy, and
food. However, to deal with these impacts, governments listed a list of regulations to protect
the air quality, and most countries agreed on international agreement to reserve the air quality
too.

Even till this day, there are people who do not believe in climate change, and these are the
same people who do not believe in poor air quality. Just because people live in advanced
country with good air quality, it does not mean all people living the same life. One of the
many steps to better air quality, is spreading awareness to the population. To do so, people
must visit the countries with low air quality such as Delhi India, and they need to live their
lives for a while just to get a hint of how dangerous this issue is.

This study helps the people to apply certain methods to have better air quality. For example,
as the study shown, 4% of the PM10 emission from agriculture so forth. These information
push innovators to find new inventions to protect the air quality.

During this project, we have faced many challenges. First, due to the current situation, we
had to conduct all the meetings online. Even though it is easy and useful method to conduct a
meeting, it comes with a lot of problems, such as internet problems. Second, the internet is
full of useful resources of information and we had to look for the most helpful information.

After finishing this project, we would love to recommend to all people two main things. First,
study air emissions and its impacts on human’s health just to understand the danger of this
issue. Also, we advise the people to go green which means that replace energy sources with
renewable sources that will not harm the environment.

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Abstract

Background

Air emission was discovered in the late 40s, and it comes from various sources. The sources
of the air emission are cars and trucks, agriculture, factories, waste, fossil fuels, and many
other sources. Moreover, the impacts are very dangerous on human’s heath, water, climate,
energy, and food. The effects on humans are the most serious impacts such as several new
diseases including cancer and about seven million deaths around the world from poor air
quality.

Methodology

The aim of this report was to collect data about the environmental policies of air emission,
and the main method followed in this report was research. We collected the information we
needed from several various websites, pdfs, and governmental documents, and then we
rewrote the information from our own understanding to get the results we have.

Results

In this report we got four results. First result was about the air emission sources in the UAE.
The second result showed the impact of air emission on all aspects. The third result listed
some of the UAE’s regulation on air emission. The fourth result listed the international
agreement of air emission treatment. The main results of the study were mainly tables and
graphs, for example, the main sources of air emissions and the percentages in the UAE was a
total of seven pie charts, and the list of international agreement presented as a website.

Conclusion

We conclude that air emission is a serious problem that everyone must learn about it. Also,
air emission must be treated as soon as possible because of its severe impacts on all aspects.
Moreover, in this report we learned the meaning of air emission and its main effects, the
many different sources of air emission, and the impact of air emission on the environment.

Recommendations

After finishing this project, we would love to recommend to all people two main things. First,
study air emissions and its impacts on human’s health just to understand the danger of this
issue. Also, we advise the people to go green which means that replace energy sources with
renewable sources that will not harm the environment.
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References

Air Pollution Emissions Overview. (2016, September 6). Retrieved from EPA:
https://www3.epa.gov/airquality/emissns.html

Federal Law No 24. (1999). Retrieved from moccae: file:///C:/Users/my/Downloads/L24-

99%20Eng.pdf

Government of Dubai. (2018, January ). Retrieved from trakhees:

https://www.trakhees.ae/en/ehs/env/Documents/Regulations/Regulation%20EN-
4.0,%20Air%20Environment.pdf

Jessica Seddon, Seth Contreras and Beth Elliott . (2019, June 5). 5 Under-recognized Impacts of Air
Pollution. Retrieved from World Resources Institute: https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/06/5-
under-recognized-impacts-air-pollution

Mackenzie, J. (2016, November 1). Air Pollution: Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved from
NRDC: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/air-pollution-everything-you-need-know#sec3

Sánchez, n. (2018, October 18). Air Quality in Abu Dhabi: Perspectives. Retrieved from EcoMENA:
https://www.ecomena.org/air-quality-in-abu-dhabi/

The Clean Air Act. (2010, November 18). Retrieved from UCSUSA:
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/clean-air-act

The Convention and its achievements. (n.d.). Retrieved from UNECE:

https://www.unece.org/environmental-policy/conventions/envlrtapwelcome/the-air-
convention-and-its-protocols/the-convention-and-its-achievements.html

Zeyoudi, T. B. (2019). UAE National Air Emissions Inventory Project.

https://www.moccae.gov.ae/assets/download/fa2f8dd4/Air%20Emissions%20Inventory
%20Report.pdf.aspx?view=true: moccae.

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Appendix A

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https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/lrtap/full%20text/1979.CLRTAP.e.pdf

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Appendix B
Name Task

Ali Overall check, introduction, front and

back matter (list of contents and

appendixes)

Bashar Abstract, design, Discussion

Ali & Bashar Result section

In the Result section

Name Task

Ali (1),(2)

Bashar (3),(4)

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