UAE starts first zero-carbon city

[UrbanSG]

Despite the fact all their wealth comes from polluting oil this is a great idea and should be the way of the future. From The Australian today:

UAE starts first zero-carbon city
February 11, 2008

CONSTRUCTION of the world's first zero carbon emissions city was beginning in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates today.

"Construction on Masdar City begins today,” said a spokesman, adding that the 6.5-square-km development will cost $US22 billion ($25 billion) and is set for completion in 2015.

Masdar City will house 50,000 people and will be run entirely on renewable energy including solar power, exploiting the desert state's near constant supply of sunshine.

The city, which is named after the Arabic word for “source”, will be built near the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. Residents will use electric-powered travel pods to move around the city.

The UAE sits on the world's fifth largest oil reserves and fourth largest gas reserves, most of them in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Proven oil reserves alone are expected to last for another 150 years but, like most oil-producing countries, the UAE wants to diversify to ease its reliance on oil.

The UAE has the world's largest ecological footprint, consuming more natural resources per capita than any other nation, according to a 2004 report by the World Wide Fund for Nature.