Sustainability in Dubai
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Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
is a city in the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
and is recognized as one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. This rapid
urbanization Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly t ...
has led to many
environmental issues Environmental issues are effects of human activity on the biophysical environment, most often of which are harmful effects that cause environmental degradation. Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment on t ...
, because of the harsh environment, paucity of local resources such as food, water, and building materials, and the unplanned manner of expansion.


Water

One major environmental issue in Dubai is potential
water shortage Water scarcity (closely related to water stress or water crisis) is the lack of fresh water resources to meet the standard water demand. There are two types of water scarcity: physical or economic water scarcity. Physical water scarcity is wher ...
. Dubai is among the cities with the lowest levels of precipitation. At the same time, the emirate is ranked among the top three countries in water usage, alongside the United States and Canada. Due to this fundamental conflict, water in Dubai comes mainly from energy-intensive desalination of sea water. As climate change and human-induced greenhouse gas emissions have increasingly caused distorted weather patterns and unpredictable precipitation, farmers cannot access reliable water sources for irrigation. As a result, food prices are affected. Economic boom and population growth resulting from the discovery of oil in the UAE (1958) triggered increased demand for water that has ultimately led to water shortages. In the past, the UAE relied on desalination to respond to this increase of demand. There have been attempts to decrease demand for water in the UAE, such as increased fees for water usage. In order to limit demand for and usage of electricity and water, prices have increased significantly for residents in Dubai. There are many developments being made in Dubai to maximize the utility of water available, such as The Sustainable City, a housing development where water and waste are recycled and residents pay rent that is similar to other nearby developments. It is also required that new buildings have solar water heaters. Per capita consumption of water and electricity has been falling as the population of Dubai continues to increase, which is promising for sustainability efforts being made. Recent efforts to address low levels of precipitation include meteorologists at Dubai's National Center of Meteorology & Seismology monitoring clouds and sending pilots to seed them with salt crystals to maximize their output of rain.


Energy

Dubai is a major consumer of electricity. Their main source of electricity is
natural gas Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...
, because it is cheaper than the alternatives. Many of the isolated buildings depend on large quantities of fossil fuel energy to support their large lighting and cooling needs.


Development

Among the biggest problems facing Dubai is its rapid, unplanned manner of expansion. Other challenges have arisen as a result of rapid expansion, such as sewage treatment systems that have failed to keep up with development.


Future problems

In the future, global warming will become a bigger issue, and this could be a huge problem for Dubai, because the country's population centres are located along the coast. Rising seas could lead to flooding, creating a problem for the city, as it would have few resources to counter the issue.


See also

*
Economy of Dubai The economy of Dubai represents a per capita gross domestic product as of 2022 of US$ 46,665. Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, announced that the UAE’s non-oil trade over 10 years totalled Dhs16.14 trillion ...


References


Further reading

* Oxford Business Group (2008)
''The Report: Dubai 2008''
Oxford Business Group. p. 127. {{ISBN, 1902339053 Economy of Dubai
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...