UAE | Environment
Expert urges UAE realtors to focus on landscaping
The UAE has a "disturbed landscape" due to massive reshaping of the land and real estate efforts to construct ecologically sound buildings is not enough, an expert said.
- Staff Report
- Published: 23:25 October 5, 2008
Dubai: The UAE has a "disturbed landscape" due to massive reshaping of the land and real estate efforts to construct ecologically sound buildings is not enough, an expert said.
"Landscaping measures also need to be applied," said Dr Prabhakar Rao, chief operating officer International Association of Human Values (IAHV), one of the organisers of the Mission Green Earth Campaign.
He said the huge spree of real estate development taking place in the UAE has no precedent and the shaping and reshaping of the land in such proportion has led to a topographical situation of a 'Disturbed Landscape'.
The Mission Green Earth Campaign, launched last week in Dubai, is encouraging the planting of the right types of trees to combat environmental crises.
It is time that real estate developers and regulators take environmental concerns seriously and mitigate the negative effect of such massive activity on the fragile ecosystem of the desert, said organisers of the 'Mission Green Earth: Stand Up and Take Action 2008' campaign.
The campaign is held under the patronage of UN Messenger of Peace Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, Wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with the support of the UNDP, UNEP and the International Humanitarian City (IHC) has attracted thousands who have their pledged to pursue sustainable living.
"There are two important ways in which the UAE is different. First, this is a fragile ecosystem that requires sensitive understanding and care. Second, the projects are reshaping the landscape on a scale not witnessed before. The created land is essentially dredged barren coral sand, taken from the sea," said Rao.
"It not only impacts the land but also the sea floor. It results in disturbance on a massive scale, but that does not mean they cannot be converted into 'Sustainable Landscapes'," he said.
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