How Green is “The World”

By Islomaniac | March 22, 2008

In a post “inconvenient truth” world there is a greater emphasis on green technology and green living. In accordance with this new global philosophy people are more critical of development projects. One such project that is being monitored by environmentalists is The World project in Dubai.

Much like any land reclamation project, the World is inherently controversial. The World and other island projects in Dubai are all built in a similar fashion. Masses of sand are gathered from the seafloor of the Arabian Gulf. The sand is then brought to Dubai and sprayed in a giant arc onto the shallow (10.5 meter) seabed off the coast. The sand piles up until it breaks through the surface of the water and forms an island about 4.5m high. Then a massive breakwater is built around the islands to protect them from the stiff local sea currents.

The short-term environmental consequences of this project have been immense. According to a recent article by The Economist.:

The short-term environmental consequences of this reclamation are clear: the intensive construction of Palm Jumeirah created vast plumes of sediment that turned blue seawater milky and temporarily damaged marine life. It also destroyed turtle nesting sites and the only known coral reef along Dubai’s coast.

However, according to Nakeel the development country behind the projects the rocky breakwaters of all these projects are creating artificial reefs, habitats and meadows of sea grass in between the “fronds” of the Palm Jumeirah..

I really do not know who to believe in this debate. However, I believe that everything works best in moderation, something that Dubai is having a lot of trouble doing.

To read the full article in the Economist on the environmental impact of “The World” click here:

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Topics: Man made islands, Environmental |

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