Dubai in Environmental
Devastation
By Natalie Behling
Environmental Issues: Overview






Dubai highest carbon footprint in world (per person) causing major
environmental issues
Many unneeded facilities (air-conditioned mall, ski dome in desert)
Dubai uses most natural resources in world (using non-stop)
Didn’t agree Kyoto Protocol (even if did, doesn’t cover problems Dubai
facing)
Dubai giving tax + encouraging preservation (good plan, harder then
looks)
Many effects overall polluting Dubai (air, noise pollution, traffic)
The typical traffic in Dubai
A unnecessary thing built in Dubai
Environmental Issues: Overview





Dubai is good role model for growing countries other then environment
(good environment, even better reputation)
Dubai not denying issues happening with environment, ashamed
(hoping that won’t last forever)
Proposing different options/adjustments to reduce various factors
affecting environment
Want to improve, being in desert (lots AC used) and extreme climate
(natural carbon footprint) challenges need to face
Reality is Dubai little amount pollution (lot for size country)
Extreme climate not helping Dubai
situation
The cloud of polluted air over Dubai
Pollution Problems: Air Pollution






Tourism and Population rise, more air pollution
Using oil contributes to air pollution also (lots oil used in Dubai)
Big problem in Dubai (mostly caused by cars and transportation)
Chemicals found in air in Dubai prove came from car emissions (gas
that it released from cars from the gasoline)
Pollution from cars increased because of old cars on road (the older the
car, more pollution it causes)
Good start if can improve car situation (one of biggest contributors)
One of Dubai’s oil plants, where they
fish out tons of oil
These cars once caused pollution
in Dubai
Pollution Problems: Industry Growth
Industry requires a lot of different chemicals/gases (polluting air)
 Problem, population runs on industry (bad if cut too much)
 Need to develop balancing act (citizens and environment)
 Industry growth is a part of air pollution

These factories in Dubai are polluting the air
Exploring Solutions to Air Pollution





Many options Dubai can consider (needs citizens help)
Motto: “prevention is better then costly rehab” means better to prevent
them to keep paying and paying to fix
Forming groups in city (all ages) to help fix air issues
Working hard to fix, but have keep same effort for long time
More we know = more we can help
Needs
to
change
to
The polluted air of Dubai
The clean air Dubai can have
Pollution Problems: Water and
Waste Issues





Water, plants used to clean salt water (negative: plants send out nasty
gases and pollution)
Salt water, lots of it (not lots fresh water)
From pollution, so much salt in already salted water, killing animals in
H2O
Only one sewage plant in Dubai (not adequate)
Sewage plants not keeping up with city growth (waste plant always
overfilled)
Waste in Dubai that hasn’t been correctly disposed
Ways Water Issues are being Fixed
Using old water feed less important things (lawn, desert forests)
 Keeping people very aware of issue (public awareness campaign)
 New building code new water and energy usage rules
 Using clean water more wisely (example, fountains aren’t pumping clean
water)

A current water plant in Dubai
Pollution Problems: Oil and
Electricity





Oil they have (lots), other countries use
Big deal with oil, used for lots types energy
Oil causes lots pollution to air (air given out, bad)
Economy up, electricity up (still going up even though bad economy)
Looking into energy other electricity
Dubai oil field
Dubai electricity lines, hopefully soon will be
improved
Dubai’s Artificial Islands






Dubai built fake island, different groups (fake islands, danger Persian
Gulf)
People worried about different components of environment, no real
point in islands (water and marine life)
“The World” and various “Palm-shaped” islands, took place sea reserve
(needs to be other way around)
Many people don’t see point of having two of the same type of island
Danger: islands drive native species away, bringing in dangerous
(ruining native habitat, reefs all around damaged)
Nakheel (island designer group) understands damage, making changes
(example, replacing reefs)
“The World” islands
The two pairs of “Palm Islands”
Dubai’s Artificial Islands






Man-made project, problems with water and land
Even while construction, already effecting H2O surrounding (dirty with
materials used to make islands)
Threat to many different factors throughout area
Shipping dolphins to diving locations around island business (dolphins
not used area)
Need take water issue around islands more serious
Business, can’t be biggest priority, need to worry about environment
right now
The construction of the islands that
ruined the water and marine life
These reefs are slowly getting
destroyed from the fake islands
Not all Bad: Advantages
Lots sun, solar energy good long term solution
 Nuclear energy will be used short term
 Near equator (good) lots sun
 Their government taking action (other countries helping)

A palm tree getting drenched in Dubai’s
huge amount of sunlight
Solar panels that could be part of a solution
to Dubai’s problems
Dubai Has The Commitment
$ tourism, used for changing city green
 UAE green projects to help start = Madsar City and Green building code
 Alternate energy, big agreements and very into working with it
 H²O, big problem (stop using water for unnecessary things, storing extra
water, bigger plant to make clean water)

The logo for Dubai’s
green building code
The water in Dubai that they need
to fix
Dubai Has The Commitment






Have $ and brains to become green city (need help of different things
though)
Need technology and cooperation of other countries to succeed
Very confident will become greener soon (hoping will learn from
experience, so stay green
Dubai good drive to become green
Will become green, not faking
Have hearts set, but need make money at same time
This symbol
shows Dubai is
truly committed
to becoming
greener
IRENA is settling in Dubai






IRENA (International Renewable Energy Association) settling in Dubai,
UAE picked over two other cities
Dubai picked because willing pay for expenses + offered more, also
picked because developing country
Other cities not totally eliminated: Bonn, Germany = innovation center,
Vienna, Austria = communication center
Dubai, UAE = underdog of bid
Headquarters of IRENA in Madsar City, makes carbon + hold lots homes
and energy efficient
Worries about uses $ from Madsar City + and if needed
The plans for Madsar City
One of IRENA’s new logos
Bibliography
Alderman, Liz. "Dubai Faces Environmental Problems After Growth." NY Times: Energy
and Environment. 27 Oct. 2010. Web.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/business/energy-environment/28dubai.html>.
Associated Press. "UAE Beats Americans' Environmental Harm." MSNBC.com. 15 Jan.
2007. Web. 17 Mar. 2011. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16640176/ns/world_newsworld_environment/>.
Butler, Tina. "Dubai's Artificial Islands Have High Environmental Cost." Conservation and
Environmental Science News. 23 Aug. 2005. Web. 17 Mar. 2011.
<http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0823-tina_butler_dubai.html>.
Joudet, Myriam. "Is Dubai's Future Green?" Time Out Dubai. 31 Aug. 2009. Web.
<http://www.timeoutdubai.com/aroundtown/features/10438-is-dubais-future-green>.
Picow, Maurice. "Dubai's Artificial Islands Are a Serious Environmental Hazard." This Is
Diversity. 1 July 2009. Web. <http://thisisdiversity.com/articles/all/939/debate-aredubais-artificial-islands-a-serious-environmental-hazard>.
Bibliography
Sage Blossom Consulting. "Dubai and Air Pollution." The Good Air Lady. 2011. Web.
17 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.thegoodairlady.com/dubai_and_air_pollution_000274.html>.
Schwartz, Ariel. "UAE, Country With World's Largest Carbon Footprint, to Host HQ
for International Renewable Energy Agency (Updated) | Fast Company."
FastCompany.com - Where Ideas and People Meet | Fast Company. 29 June
2009. Web. 17 Mar. 2011. <http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/arielschwartz/sustainability/uae-country-worlds-largest-carbon-footprint-hostinternational-re#>.
UAE Embassy. "Energy in the UAE | UAE Embassy in Washington, DC." Welcome to
the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC | UAE Embassy in Washington, DC. 15
June 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2011. <http://www.uae-embassy.org/uae/energy