The city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has long been revered as a beautiful and wealthy city. The tourist attraction boasts of “lush tropical landscapes implanted in its desert” and supports a local population of over 2.5 million people. In the center of its native climate, this developed city has come with some serious consequences and it is through development deficits, coupled with improper planning, that we see the most remarkable impact that this powerhouse has on the environment, society, and the world at large.
Context
Dubai is a city that seems to have it all in terms of wealth, power, and prestige. The wealthiest and most successful people from around the world travel to Dubai to enjoy the city’s many amenities, its beautiful landscape, luxury goods, gourmet foods, and fine wines. A metropolitan area that is home to over 2.5 million people and growing, a decreasing inflation rate, and rising Gross Domestic Product seems to be as unstoppable as the United States of America in its prime. But, the reality is that Dubai’s entire infrastructure is flawed and until the problem is successfully addressed at the core, the city will inevitably face the consequences and so will the people who make up its flourishing economy.
Planning & Development Problems
Dubai is a city that faces many problems in terms of sustainability; most of those problems stemming from geographic location and largely due to the native climate of the region. Without even touching on the sociological issues that are embedded within the urban center, it is clear to pinpoint macro-level problems that will have lasting effects on the inhabitants of the city for years to come. This means that although the problems related to the economic and construction boom of Dubai as well as its predicted subsequent downfall are environmental in nature, they have real world effects; making them very real social issues.
As we’ve seen, Dubai is a city that sits on “low-lying reclaimed land” which means “it is at increased risk from flooding as sea-levels rise”. The world is becoming increasingly aware of the consequences that climate change is having around the world, but more urgently in coastal regions. However, the concern over the city’s location constitutes much more than the possibility of flooding. Because Duabi is located in a warm, dry desert region, it lacks sources of safe freshwater. The demands for water on the everyday lives of inhabitants in the city requires that water from the ocean be de-salinized. If this process was attained through any means other than fossil fuels, the city might have a fighting chance, but the fact is that Dubai is completely dependent on fossil fuels for air quality, water quality, and other energy needs. So, as the limits of the city continue to grow, so does its dependence on imported goods, making Dubai a city of economic, social, and environmental turmoil.
Society & Economy
As the city continues to prosper, so will the economic divide. Stratification increases, the inequality increases, and the gap between the wealthy and the poor will surely increase. This is a sociological problem that is part of a malfunctioning framework and as the development continues to expand without taking into consideration the sustainability of the expansion, the people of the city will suffer the greatest consequences.
As part of a developed city and a fundamental component of a successful social framework, the economy is one of the most valued and protected assets. The problem with the economy is that it is not easily measured by all members of society. Being able to fit together all of the pieces that make or break an economy is a difficult concept to grasp, even for economists. And, economic stability is often only stable in theory, because it is relative to the socioeconomic class of different subgroups and individuals within a scoeity. In a city such as Dubai, where the Gross Domestic Product is rising, tourism is blooming, and the job situation seems to be fairly stable, it is hard for anyone to understand what could possibly be wrong with such a luxurious atmosphere, but the fact remains that an unsustainable economy is not a healthy one.
Dubai is a city that is predominantly reliant on fossil fuels, a dwindling resource that is losing favor amongst the rest of the world. In order for the economy and the social structure ot Dubai to remain prosperous, the only real solution seems to be the investment in sustainable development and planning. A plan that calls to change the blueprint of an entire city is a large bite to take, but it will ultimately produce a more conducive social, cultural, and economic environment.
Social Institutions
Embedded within the society are institutions upon which people are largely dependent and without their knowledge, the inhabitants of cities such a Dubai fall victim to the social norms dictated by higher institutions. Not only do the government, state, and other regulating entities play an integral role in the social, cultural, and economic practices that ensure within the city, but they also dictate the social norms and account for what variations are allowed to the system.
Ultimately, people make up the fine print that is written into the blueprint known as society and people are responsible for making micro-level changes that can lead to institutional changes and macro-level paradigm shifts. It is because of this chain reaction that it is so important for a city like Dubai to understand the positive consequences that awareness can have in an effort to bring sustainability to the planning and development stages going forward. With the institutional commitment to sustainable development, social and economic quality of life will subsequently improve.
Sustainability
A city planted in the middle of the desert is simply not viable in terms of sustainability, unless the resources of the area are harnessed to produce measurable outcomes. This puts Dubai at a sever disadvantage compared to other climates, however the knowledge of shortcomings in the planning stage is a definite advantage moving forward.
As stated by the Royal Geographical Society, “The challenge of building a sustainable building in the desert invites some interesting ideas” . It is not necessarily a bad thing that ideas are breaking ground in an effort to keep Dubai afloat. In fact, sustainable architecture is paving the way for the green-industry initiatives through research and implementation of innovative and energy efficient buildings. Essentially, this means that Dubai could jump on the bandwagon of the green-industry while the market is still hot, giving the city an economic advantage as well as the benefits that accompany proper planning, development, and implementation of sustainable architecture.
In terms of resources, the desert lacks a lot of them; including water. However, there is one resource that is widely available and that is the sun. If Dubai could transition their energy system to consist of mainly solar power, they could reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. In turn, this would reduce the amount of air pollution, dependence on import goods, and help close the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Because alternative forms of energy are environmentally friendly, cost less in the long run, and are dependent on natural renewable resources, the economy would also see instant benefits; including additions to the labor force.
Besides solar power, there are other alternative forms of energy that could help Dubai crawl out from under the thumb of fossil fuel dependence. Wind power is a viable option in an open, breezy coastal area such as that of Dubai. Innovative development ideas such as “a revolving skyscraper powered by wind turbines placed between each floor” have taken the topic of Dubai’s future to the next level and it won’t be long before Dubai is face with a challenging ultimatum.
Conclusion
The poor planning and development of a city, such as Dubai, cannot be contributed entirely to neglect when there is some ignorance involved. It wasn’t long ago that people did not think to practice sustainable approaches and it is only as we look toward the future that we realize how important the sustainability of our planet is to the sustainability of our species. There is still time to reverse the damage done by improper planning and implement new and sustainable approaches to the development of a city such as Dubai; including the preservation of the economy, environment, society, and overall wellbeing through intelligent development.
Works Cited
Government of Dubai. Dubai Statistics Center. n.d. 28 April 2016. <https://www.dsc.gov.ae/en-us>.
Royal Geographical Society. Impossible places - A sustainable future for Dubai. n.d. 28 April 2016. <http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Teaching+resources/Key+Stage+3+resources/Impossible+places/A+sustainable+future+for+Dubai.htm>.
