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Tunisia, Dubai and Abu Dhabi - Towards Sustainable Development

Mark Ford

Sunday, 12 July 2009 14:26

Innovative environmental initiatives are emerging out of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while Tunisia is using ancient as well as modern techniques to reduce its carbon footprint, writes Mark Ford.

"It is extremely important to constantly seek solutions for sustainable developments, especially along coastal environments," says Egyptian scientist Dr Farouk El-Baz, expert adviser to Nakheel's AED500 million ($136 million) Blue Communities coastal sustainability initiative.

El-Baz, who rose to prominence in the 1970s during the joint American-Soviet Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and is renowned for his work photographing arid environments and uncovering new water sources, says he is pleased to be involved in these research and development activities. He will engage with other international experts on the issues of sustainable development, construction, management and governance of coastal communities around the globe.

Dubai's construction industry has been criticised for a lack of environmental concern, with Nakheel - the developer of the Emirate's three artificial palm-shaped islands - coming under particular fire for the impact of its developments on the marine environment.

Gold Coast City Council of Australia, which is building a city regarded as one of the most biodiverse urban spaces in Australia, has also agreed to work with Nakheel on a series of projects to promote sustainable coastal development as part of the initiative.

The Dubai government-owned property developer is "seeking to draw on expertise from organisations and governments around the world and this is just the first of many partnerships we will be announcing," says managing director of design and development at Nakheel, Abdulrahman Kalantar.

Elsewhere in the UAE, which has one of the largest carbon footprints per capita in the world, more green shoots of environmental awareness are emerging. The Emirates Green Building Council has been at the forefront of efforts to promote a new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) programme to assess the sustainability of buildings from the planning stage. The programme has been modelled on the LEED scheme already in action in the US that awards points for greater adherence to green principles. It is expected to be adopted across Dubai.

The world's first carbon neutral city
But perhaps the UAE's flagship green project is Abu Dhabi's hugely ambitious Masdar initiative, established in 2006 as a global co-operative platform for open engagement to find new solutions in energy security, climate change and sustainable human development. In February 2008, Abu Dhabi officially launched Masdar City, the masterplanning for which was carried out by the UK's Foster & Partners.

"We are creating a city where residents and commuters will live the highest quality of life with the lowest environmental footprint," says Masdar's CEO, Dr Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber. This innovative urban space - which is being developed under the watchful eye of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan - aims to be the world's first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city.

Al-Jaber says Masdar's objectives are to help drive Abu Dhabi's economic diversification, contribute to the process of sustainable human development and position the UAE as a developer of technology. Another objective is to maintain and grow the Emirate's position in global energy markets - a clear signal that oil-rich Abu Dhabi is making plans for its own energy supplies and revenue streams once hydrocarbons cease to be such a dominant world energy source.

Masdar has also recently signed a landmark deal with the UK government for a major collaboration on the development of renewable energy and clean technology.

Ancient desert techniques
Tunisia is another country in the region where there appear to be big opportunities for UK companies in the renewable energy sector. The north African country signed the Kyoto Protocol in 2002 and became a partner in the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership in November 2006. Now Tunisia is embarking on a 2008-11 environmental and energy strategy based on sustainable economic and social development that aims to limit the negative impacts of climate change.

Tunisia is working on a portfolio of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects and is engaged in low-carbon trading. According to UK Trade & Investment, the Commercial Section of the British Embassy in Tunisia welcomes interest from UK companies specialising in CDMs and has seen the number of British companies doing business in the energy sector rise considerably over recent years.

Some Tunisian companies have already made a start on strategies to reduce emissions and energy spending by capturing alternative energy sources - and not all of the new energy solutions require cutting edge technologies. The Gafsa Phosphates Company (GPC), for example, has been solar-drying phosphates since 2007, combining ancient techniques used in north Africa's deserts with modern technologies. In 2008, this enabled GPC to save the equivalent of 3,200 tonnes of petrol and reduce its costs in this area by TND1.5 million ($1.08 million).

Developing sustainable tourism
There is a growing awareness throughout the region of the importance of developing tourism in a sustainable and environmentally sensitive way. In Morocco, for example, the government has developed a responsible tourism strategy with particular attention being paid to water and energy conservation. Qatari Diar's Al Houara Resort on the coast of Tangier is a good example of sustainable real estate development, including treatment plants, green spaces and a kasbah providing employment for locals.

Global Arab Network

This article was first published in Business Focus (Issue 2, March 2009), a Middle East Association publication produced by Newsdesk Media Ltd.

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