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BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Protecting biodiversity is a driver for collective action To proactively manage and prevent potential environmental
across all our sites. Our approach is to achieve a delicate impacts, ADOC undertakes comprehensive EIA studies ADOC SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2024
balance between the impacts we are unable to avoid and for all its facilities. These assessments are complemented
the offsets we implement, aiming to reach a 'break-even by a robust and ongoing environmental compliance
point' where there is no net loss of biodiversity. monitoring and auditing activities. Biodiversity-related
risks identified at our existing facilities are detailed within
We give utmost importance to biodiversity as our
facilities (Mubarraz Island, Hail field, and AR and GA field) our HSEIA reports. In addition, detailed environmental
are located within the buffer zone of Marawah Marine baseline studies have been conducted at all operational
Biosphere Reserve (MMBR), an environmentally sensitive sites to establish reference conditions, enabling accurate
and ecologically important marine area in Abu Dhabi. As evaluation of any changes to local ecosystems over time.
such, we recognize that the marine habitats and all marine In alignment with international best practices, ADOC
species in the area are highly sensitive potential receptors applies the Mitigation Hierarchy to proactively manage
for impacts from any marine discharges originating from and minimize biodiversity risks throughout its operations:
ADOC operations. In addition, the occurrence of an oil Avoid at source, Reduce, Restore and regenerate, and
spill could have detrimental effects on the surrounding Offset. Collectively, these measures serve to reduce, as
marine ecosystems. much as possible, any residual impacts that our operations
have on the biodiversity.

Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve (MMBR)

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MMBR occupies an area of 4,255 km and was designated as a marine protected area (MPA) by the Abu Dhabi
ministerial decree (No.18 of 2001) , in order to allow the area to be safeguarded from over-exploitation while
providing protective measures for sensitive habitats, seabird populations and endangered sea mammals and reptiles.
In September 2007, the area was subsequently declared a World Biosphere Reserve under the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ‘Man and Biosphere Programme’ because of its
international importance.

The Marawah MPA potentially hosts the densest population of Dugong (Dugong dugon) in the world. Due to the
presence of productive, undeveloped habitats of high conservation value, the Marawah MPA is known to support
the highest density of feeding Green Turtles found anywhere in the southern Arabian Gulf and is also important for
cetaceans as well as dugongs. The Marawah MPA supports nearly 50% and 60% of the UAE’s population of dolphin
and green turtles respectively..

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