Free «Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi» Essay

b. Competitive Advantage of the Organization

The agency is efficiently run to cater for the needs of the diverse population of its clients. It carries out its mandate to effectively inform the public on the importance of preservation of nature and biodiversity. There are vast publications to cater for the needs of the diverse population of its consumers including students, environmentalists, government bodies, businesses. The agency has a wide collection of their own resources such as a large set of publications, strategy documents, case studies, etc. (Al Menhali & Ahmad, 2014). The agency has come out clearly on its roles to the public such that they cater for anyone interested in environmental issues. Through the use of these publications and interactions with the public, the agency has managed to communicate its targets to the public. These objectives include:

1. To establish and execute a successful environmental policy and regulatory framework for Abu Dhabi.
2. To conserve groundwater through the use of integrated water resources management.
3. To conserve and protect biodiversity (including flora and fauna).
4. To ensure that the air is clean and to minimize climate change and its impacts on the environment.
5. To promote sustainability in communities and other engaged stakeholders.
6. The agency is advantaged in that the government finances its activities.

The agency is highly innovative in its approach to the needs of the populations as well as protecting biodiversity. It has adopted an environmentally sustainable policy that allows nature and human beings to interact peacefully. In a bid to scrutinize the number and populations of various animals, the company uses ‘conservation drones’ to monitor and protect important species. Al Menhali (2014) puts that the drones will capture footage of areas that are difficult to reach and, at the same time, verify species numbers without making close contact with the flamingoes or disturbing them in any way. The images of the breeding birds are captured, and any data, which needs to be documented for them, is also reflected. This is a good method of data collection that proves to be both cost and time effective. Understanding the movement and migration patterns of important species is essential for their overall conservation and also helps in sorting the key sites that the species use for their habitation and reproduction (Al Menhali & Ahmad, 2014).

The agency has also invested a lot in running a website to allow contact with the public. The website is a source of information to the outsiders. One can easily be informed about the current steps, policies, and strategies that the agency is employing without necessarily visiting their offices. All that information is contained on their website.

Provision of e-services to the public – The public can interact with the agency through their e-services. Through this, the public can be able to access journals and publications among many other resources. More importantly, though, is the fact that through e-services, there are provisions of services such as booking of a visit to a reserve. A person can book and pay for the service and only show up on the actual visiting day. This saves a lot of resources and time wastage (Al Abdessalaam, 2007). There is also massive sensitization to the public on the importance of environment conservation by the use of various forms of media such as televisions, billboards, radio transmissions, and running a Facebook page. Publication and journals are meant to communicate with the public on the importance of preserving the environment. They are distributed to the public as a guide to their daily practices on the importance of conserving the natural environment (Al Menhali & Ahmad, 2014).

c. SWOT Analysis of the Organization

Strengths

Since its establishment, the Environment Agency has been committed to protecting and enhancing the quality of air and groundwater as well as the preservation of biodiversity of the desert and marine ecosystem (Al Abdessalaam, 2007). The agency has successfully championed for a turnaround in the way the community views their environment. By partnering with other government agencies, the private sector, NGOs and global environmental organizations, they have successfully embraced international best practices in environmental conservation, innovation, and hard work to institute effective policy measures that govern and protect the environment. The agency has raised environmental awareness, facilitated sustainable development, and also ensured that environmental issues remain one of the top priorities of the national agenda. It has succeeded in fulfilling their environmental goals, which include:

1. To become an environmental and natural resource regulatory system.
2. To become an ecological and natural resources monitoring system.
3. To become a management regime for fisheries.
4. To become a management regime for water resources.
5. To become a system for administration and rehabilitation for wildlife.
6. To raise a society with increased environmental awareness and education.
7. There are well laid out laws protecting the environment like waste management policies, ground water conservation, protected areas, terrestrial and marine conservation. The agency has passed this information to the general public (Al Abdessalaam, 2007).

It has also managed to establish a sustainable environment for the natural habitats and biodiversity, thus ensuring nature is valued. People have been informed to protect and conserve the sensitive flora and fauna.

Efficiency – The agency implements its plans and strategies to the public through policy briefs, educational awareness, and Abu Dhabi strategies. This ensures that there is an effort to keep the public informed on what the agency intends to do.

Weaknesses

Poor Policy implementation – It can be noted that some policies, though good, remain on paper. They were formulated to protect the sensitive ecosystem, but at times, human benefits override the benefits extracted from nature. There is also a lack of government support and goodwill from selfish individuals, organizations, and groups.

Leniency – The agency is at times too soft on some projects. Mercy, as well as lesser punishments, is given to offenders and law breakers. At times, the agency has to overlook as environmental degradation continues to take a toll on the environment. This may be the case where the economic gain is much more compared to the pollution. An example is where a factory has to be established. The production process will lead to contamination of the air. At the same time, the factory will provide a huge number of people with employment opportunity. The agency is, therefore, forced to overlook the pollution aspect and consider the benefit that the company will inject into the economy.

Lack of prosecution powers to the offenders – The agency requires prosecution powers to the criminals. The agency only investigates those who violate its environmental regulations and then recommends prosecution of the offenders. The latter are set free, or a small punishment is levied on them.

Threats

Pollution – With the increasing industrialization, the environment is prone to be polluted more, thus making the agency’s operations hard. These pollutions include air, water, and noise pollutions from the upcoming industries, increased emissions from vehicles and industries. The damages pose a great danger to the sensitive ecosystem threatening to cause their death.

Extinction – Various species of organisms are under threat of extinction. Examples are the endangered turtles, which are normally extracted and rehabilitated to increase their survival rates. These animals are usually monitored to establish their rate of reproduction and how the environment affects them (Al Menhali & Ahmad, 2014). As a matter of fact, when seriously affected, the organisms are typically extracted, rehabilitated, and returned into their ecosystem upon recovery.

Political interference or rather government control – The agency has a role in allowing and approving economic development because some of the development projects affect the sensitive ecosystems. However, some of them, which are of particular interest to the government, must be approved. The agency is compelled to support such projects, thus lacking their freedom to freely express their views on various projects.

Human – There is an impending human-wildlife conflict. The land that has been occupied by wildlife is constantly under threat. There is a need for a constant good relationship between the human population and wildlife.

Declining water qualities – Due to pollution from various sources, the quality of water is slowly falling. The water is not as clean as it used to be. The underground sources of water are slowly falling. This calls for a reduction in the levels of chemicals used.

Opportunities

Upon carrying out an intensive marketing and advertisement of its activities, the agency can elevate Abu Dhabi to become a worldwide tourism destination. This can be done through the social media and in internal forums (such as conferences) with an aim of promoting the region as a tourist destination.

The agency can also intensify its campaigns to elevate the level of sustainability. It can expand and achieve their goals since the community is supportive (“Environment Agency”, 2016). Also, it can achieve its goals working well with the community. This calls for communication between the community and the agency at all times. The agency should also be involved in community projects that are meant to support the community. Investing in the community is wise since it serves well in terms of monitoring the changes in their immediate environment. For example, the community members will take note of the variations in the color of water due to pollution by underground seepage of oil and inform the agency. The latter will then take note of the problem and call upon the right experts such as hydrologists to address the problem.

e. Suggestion to the Organization to Improve Its Competitive Advantage

To improve its competitive advantage, the agency should do the following:

1. Employ latest technological advancements

The agency should use and apply the latest market technology to counter negative impacts brought about by climate change.

2. Laying out clear procedures for implementation

The agency should ensure that all the laid out plans are properly implemented. There should be an oversight authority that is meant to carry out follow-up for the plans laid out. In case the implementers face resistance, the government should come in and help out with the procedures. This may call for legislation that is meant to protect the natural biodiversity.

3. Work in collaboration with other agencies that are in touch with nature

The agency may not be able to make its presence felt in the whole country. The agency is mandated to oversee the general maintenance and protection of the environment, but it requires other organs, which are constantly in touch with the community on a daily basis (“Environment Agency”, 2016). This calls for a continued partnership with NGOs and other smaller organizations that have environments interest at heart. It is also important that the agency contacts and works with all the stakeholders who work and interact with the natural environments in their line of duties to come up with a common goal that will be comfortably implemented by all the people involved.

4. Involvement of more environment experts

The agency should engage more experts into place. These may include environmentalists and Aquarians among others. The incorporation of all these parties is meant to ensure that an all-inclusive and informed decision is made when deliberations are held to chat way forward for conservations and other activities.

5. Involvement in research

It is not only good to guard the water sources. More important, however, is researching more to discover better preservation and conservation methods (“Environment Agency”, 2016). The agency should invest more into studying how the wildlife and the delicate ecosystem can be well preserved and prevented from extinction.

6. Restocking of the overfished waters

There is a problem of overfishing. Some people in the community use fish as their primary source of proteins. Incidences of overfishing are high, though the agency is trying its level best to curb it. This can be addressed by restocking the overfished waters to prevent the various breeds of fish from being extinct. The restocking serves to add the new stock of fish into the waters. The result of this is the assurance of a continued supply of fish into the markets.

7. Quality Survey

Lastly, it is recommended that the agency in collaboration with the government should enhance quality survey of all the industries in the country. This should be done with an effort of establishing the sources of pollution from the various factories. The pollutants are then supposed to be addressed to prevent their harm from being felt in the environment. In case the deterioration has already taken place, the agency should ensure that mitigation efforts exist to curb the effects on the environment. The inspection should ensure that the various factories developed numerous mechanisms to address the problem of pollution of the environment as well as sustainability.