Facing Environmental Challenge and Encouraging United Arab Emirates in Sustainable Urban Development - Report Example

Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Sustainability in the UAE Report 1.0 General overview UAE Urban development in the United Arab Emirates is not only an environmental advocates concern, but also the public officials, planners and policy makers (Al Marashi, 1). For more than three decades ago, the UAE has had an exceptional growth and development progresses. The oil-rich economy is a key catalyst to the development already realized. Despite the fact that UAE is not rich in other resources, over the last years, the country scored highly on the indices of development due to; exceptional growth economically, robust social development and higher-per-capita income (Hook, 3). The UAE is the leading hub of peace, security, stability and commerce in the Arabian Gulf region. UAE currently ranks top 50 among the developed countries globally. Over the last years, the UAE has attracted foreigners worldwide with the majority from Europe and Asia, because of its open immigration policies and economic growth (Al Marashi, 1). Urbanization in the UAE has increased fast in the last few decades. For example, Dubai is one of the city that has emerged, and its population growth is more than triple as it was some years in 1980s. Population in the UAE, according to statistics in the last 15years the population rose by more than 5% per year. During the same timeframe immigration has increased by more than 6% per year (Al Marashi, 1). The boom kind of population increase has greatly increased the need for building because of the need to expand the infrastructures, facilities and urban areas. In fact, about US$300billion in Middle East and North Africa fraternity goes to the building entertainment, leisure, tourism, commercial and urban residential projects. The Arab Real Estate and Construction Association estimates that, the UAE uses about US$36billionof the total amount used in MENA (Salama and Hana, 1400). This amount is likely to double five years to come making the UAE the costly nation in UAE. This report will look into issues related to sustainability in the UAE. 2.0. Sustainability There are different ways in which sustainability can be established by linking urban growth developmental and environmental issues. Long-term environmental sustainability can be achieved through encouraging residents to take up the role of social responsibility, cultural expressions, public health, ecological urban construction and design, recycling and reuse of materials, increasing sewage treatment and solid waste reductions, water resource management, renewable energy, cleaner production, and promoting sustainable lifestyles (Hook, 1). 2.1. The Emirates Environmental Group- EEG Based in Dubai, the EEG, is a Non-Governmental Organization currently leading actively in sustainable development issues. To enhance sustainable development in the environment, the EEG has frameworks that address the 3Rs’ of environmental sustainability. They are Reuse, Reduce and Recycle. In addition to these, the EEG also emphasizes the need of corporate social responsibility, promoting adoption of efficient green buildings, increasing green spaces in urban centers to combat desertification, public transit, sustainable transportation, renewable energy production, energy and water conservation, at the source recyclable materials separation, waste management, and educating people on critical issues of sustainable development. The role of sustainable development cannot be fought using one harm, therefore, EEG always ensures that it works hand in hand with other key stakeholders like the civil society groups, communities, businesses, and governments (Al Marashi, 2). 2.2. Waste recycling EEG spearheads the community to recycle waste.Campaigns that encourage the collection of glasses, plastics, cartridges, papers and aluminium cans makes the process possible. Sorting collected wastes if important to UAE because it promotes good use of cycled materials, reduces the UAE ecological footprint, mitigates climate change globally and reduces pollution and emissions (Al Marashi, 2) 2.3. Green building Although real estate and construction is a key contributor to the Gross Domestic Product in Dubai, it is a sector that uses resources intensively. Hence, Dubai and other growing cities ought to carry out sustainable planning that will ensure the environment is not affected negatively as well as prevent depletion of the natural resources (Al Marashi, 1). Green building is a concept that UAE had not applied in the past. Green building idea was originally pre-conceptualized by EEG. The EEG campaigns on the need to switch to green building to the community leaders, professionals, communications media, and other policy makers. Green building concepts is a steering wheel to building environmentally sustainable structures, establishing objectives and the minimum quality standard required for the environment and transparent systems (Salama and Hana, 1394). As a result,in 2006 July, the Council of Emirates Green Building EGBC was founded, which on 2006 September became one of the World Green Building Council members and hence the UAE become the 8th country in WGBC. The EGBC main objective was to approve practices and principles in building that bring high building performance as they consume technologies that are critical and friendly in protecting the environment in the UAE as they enhance environmental sustainability (Salama and Hana, 1397) 2.4. Urban mass transit Urban mass transit means use of shared taxis, minibuses, and buses for transportation. In the African cities, combine-taxi, minibuses and normal buses dominate the transport system. Theoretically, urban mass transit can lower the time and cost. However, sustainability within the urban sector urban mass transit is a challenge that varies from the infrastructures that countries have invested on (Hook, 1). In the UAE, the EEG support different initiatives both international and local that can expand and improve the system of transportation, through educating the public on the importance of urban transit to the environment and economic parameters. To achieve its objectives in sustainability, EEG did launch a multi-stakeholders Corporate Social Responsibility Network (CSR) in 2004 in the UAE (Al Marashi, 2). Railway transportation is also a major aspect that UAE is putting theories to have it in place to ensure environmentally and economically stable nation (Hook, 3) 2.6. Business sustainability Although sustainability is about the future of the present society, in businesses and industries, sustainability is also about the success in commerce (Paumgartten, 26). The responsibility to transform enterprises to respect limits of the environment as they fulfill social needs and wants is not actually hand in hand with the strategy on innovation, brand, manufacturing and design, offering a large opportunity for businesses to adapt and compete to the swiftly global evolution. For the market to be sustainable, the society ought to change how consumption and production is done as well as how progress, value measurement and definition are carried (Paumgartten, 27). This is only achievable following a massive transition in the behavioral, cultural, technological, political and social disciplines. Business should put in place innovation and execution measures to meet the present market needs without comprising the capacity of the coming generation to meet the demands. Therefore, businesses should adopt eco-effectiveness and eco-efficiency models (Hook, 4). To achieve this, the Dubai Chamber Sustainability Network was launched by the Dubai Chamber of industry’s Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) in 2004. It was a new initiative that would create a forum for mega business to air their views and exchange practices that would in turn implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CRB was to foster integrity of businesses and promote Dubai to a global commerce by ensuring law in action and transparency. The sustainability network was tasked with bringing both the CSR practitioners and businesses together and forward projects that look into the solution of the CSR and businesses frameworks. The sustainability network does raise CSR awareness, to the business community and make it easy to exchange best practices in CSR and other stakeholders with the aim of disseminating CSR solutions and experiences. The networks advocate excellent, responsible practices and leadership for businesses in Dubai, discusses and strategies on other CSR issues and topics with various stakeholders (Dubai Chamber, 1). 2.5. Green farming In the past few decades, the UAE did export almost 90% of its farm produce products. This was not only an expensive procedure, but also one of the leading factors leading to desertification. Although UAE faces challenge of fresh water sources, lack of massive farming practices to maintain and improve the current water levels may cost the country more in the future. Following the foreseen threat of importing more green consumable goods, the UAE has turned to farming and the need to maintain the country green (Murad, Nuaimi, and Hammandi, 1452). In 2012, the country came up with a programme Green Economy for Sustainable Development (2012-2021) (GESD) that will ensure the country is an export and re-export center for technologies and green products. This will be made possible using policies and programmes in construction, sustainable transport, investment, agriculture and energy sectors. The national initiative aimed to ensure an environment that supports economic growth and protects the economy. 3.0. Conclusion Population growth globally is a call to awakening that countries should create ways to accommodate the people and businesses in a way that is both economically friendly, but environmentally sustainable. The UAE has adopted Policies, programmes and frameworks that support environmental sustainability and which all stakeholder ought to practice.The UAE, works with different stakeholders such as EEG, CRB and GESCD among other parties to ensure sustainability in the UAE is affordable, less pollutant to the environment, improving and sustaining the natural resources to prevent depletion and green environment. The UAE has, therefore, put in place different measures to ensure the proliferation of trade in the area, maintaining a green environment and urban transit systems. However, still the fact that no railway in the UAE is a great concern to the environmental sustainability in regards to the transport systems and economic development. Works Cited Al Marashi, H. Facing environmental challenge and encouraging united Arab emirates in sustainable urban development, Global Urban Development Magazine 2(1):1-2, (March, 2006). Dubai Chamber: sustainability network in Dubai chamber task groups, share achievements; Chamber Magazine, (September 20th, 2012). Retrieved from, http://www.dubaichamber.com/en/news/dubai-chamber-sustainability-network-task-groups-share-achievements, 8/12/2014. Hook, W., Urban Facing the Environmental Challenge: Transportation and the Millenium Development Goals. Global Urban Development Magazine, vol2, issue 1: (March 2006). Murad, A.A., Nuaimi, H.A. & Hammandi, M.A. Comprehensive assessment of water resources in the united Arab emirates (UAE), vol. 21, issue 9, pp 1449-1463, (September, 2007) Paumgartten, P. The business case of high-performance green buildings: Sustainability and financial impact. Journal of Facilities Management, vol2, issue1, 26-34, (2003). Salama, M. and Hana, A.R. Green Buildings, Sustainable Construction In The United Arab Emirates. Leeds, UK, pp1397-1405, (2010). Read More