United Arab Emirates

Aerial view of industrial plant with large smokestacks, surrounded by smoke with sunset sky in background.

COP28: Will Developed Nations Reduce Emissions?

Tensions between developed and developing nations surfaced over emissions and energy, with the former focused on reducing fossil fuels and the latter pointing to unrealized emissions reductions from the nations most responsible for global warming.

December 6, 2023 - The Wall Street Journal

Close-up of multicolored gas station pumps

OPEC Plus Decision to Reduce Oil Output Could Lead to Global Recession

A decision earlier this month by a group of the world's largest oil exporters to drastically reduce oil production to stem the decline in oil prices could be a ‘tipping point’ for a global recession, says the International Energy Agency.

October 19, 2022 - The Hill

Oil and Gas Extraction

Biden Administration's Energy Hypocrisy Exposed

World Oil, an energy publication, slightly annotated a Bloomberg News article to expose the hypocrisy of the Biden administration: curtailing oil production at home while pushing to increase it abroad.

July 15, 2021 - Bloomberg Quint

COVID-19 Pandemic

Will Israel Show Us the Way Out of the Pandemic?

If vaccinations are key to ending the pandemic, Israel may get there first as it has the highest rate by far of any nation. Paradoxically, it also has the world's second-highest rate of daily new COVID-19 cases.

February 14, 2021 - The New York Times

Skyline and Beach

Largest Desalinated Water Reserve Ever Unveiled in Abu Dhabi

The UAE has created a storage facility under the desert that can provide up to 100 million liters per day in the event of an emergency.

January 17, 2018 - Quartz

Electric Cars

Dubai to Offer Free Parking and Charging to Electric Car Drivers

A city famous for its oil money is implementing generous incentives for electric cars.

September 26, 2017 - Bloomberg Technology

Passenger Drone

World's First Passenger Drone Readies for Takeoff in Dubai

This summer, commuters may have another option for moving around Dubai as a pilotless drone is prepared to shuttle passengers around the city.

February 15, 2017 - Dezeen

Abu Dhabi

Planning for an Eco-Friendly City in the Desert

Building a new eco-friendly city in the middle of a country so reliant on fossil fuels is no easy task, but development is well underway for Masdr City to rise in the UAE

June 6, 2016 - Public Square

New Year's Eve Fire in Dubai Hotel Casts Doubt on Safety of Mideast High-Rises

The Address Downtown hotel, a 63-story, mixed-use high-rise very close to the world's tallest building, went up in flames on Dec. 31, raising questions about other high-rises that use the same heavy cladding material building on the exterior.

January 4, 2016 - Reuters

International Aid Lands in the U.S.

Millions of dollars donated by the United Arab Emirates are being used to fund the rebuilding of Joplin, Mo., which was devastated by a tornado in 2011. The handouts represent a "remarkable shift in global economic power."

February 19, 2013 - The Washington Post

Dubai Creates A "Supreme Urban Planning Council" To Enact New Master Plan

The Dubai Executive Council has approved the Dubai Urban Development Master Plan 2020, and will establish a 'Supreme Urban Planning Council,' to streamline the process.

October 4, 2011 - Constuction Week

Connecting Residents With Services in Abu Dhabi Master Plan

The revitalization master plan for two older neighborhoods in Abu Dhabi includes creating "new roads, clinics, schools, police stations and neighborhood centers" and making them easily accessible to residents.

July 26, 2011 - The National

Dubai Eyes Rail Expansion

Officials in Dubai have announced plans to extend the emirate's 75-km rail system to more than 250 km.

April 12, 2011 - Emirates 24/7

The State of Development in Abu Dhabi and Doha

Nicolai Ouroussoff, architecture critic for The New York Times, offers this lengthy look at the state of development and design in Abu Dhabi and Doha.

November 30, 2010 - The New York Times

Trouble in Masdar City

Kiran Stacy looks at some of the challenges facing what is intended to be the world's first carbon-neutral city.

November 4, 2010 - Financial Times

Environmental Problems Plague Dubai

After decades of rapid urbanization, the emirate is now contending with a wide range of challenges to its environment and infrastructure.

October 30, 2010 - The New York Times

Long Way Down for Dubai's Residential Market

With property values now half their boom-time peaks and a flood of additional supply on the way, the emirate’s residential market may not recover in the foreseeable future, says Angela Shah.

October 23, 2010 - Time

Abu Dhabi Eyes Tram Network by 2014

Feasibility studies underway in Abu Dhabi predict that a new light rail tram network could be operational by 2014.

October 21, 2010 - Arabian Business

Building Takes More Realistic Pace in Dubai

Once the site of a seemingly endless string of outlandish building projects, Dubai has shaken off the dust from the market crash and resumed building less flashy projects at a steadier pace.

September 30, 2010 - The New York Times

Dubai's Formula of Tax Free Economic Zones and Mass Tourism Doesn't Work

Joshua Hammer describes his visit to the financially straitened emirate where he found "deserted highways, empty hotel rooms, miles of unsold residential and office space."

September 3, 2010 - The New York Review of Books

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.