Sustainability Debates in GCC Cities

There is a worldwide growing concern that the relationship between sustainability and urban form has not been widely debated, despite the extensive literature on each as separate concepts (Williams K., Burton E. and Jenks M., 2000). The emergence of ‘sustainable development’ as a popular concept has revived the debate about the urban form of cities (Jenks M 2010), and has invigorated a widespread agreement that urban transformation should be channelled into a whole range of spatial patterns that are not only compact in form (Williams K., Burton E. and Jenks M., 1996 and 2000) but also fit in well with other important planning goals including growth management, environmental protection, social cohesion, economic viability and urban revitalization (ward, 2002; URBED, 2005).

Understanding the dimensions of sustainable urban form is a complex issue. Care needs to be exercised over the context within which the cities exist, their cultural background and regional and national differences. There will be significant differences in different parts of the world of the interpretation of the sustainable urban form; however there are common underlying and enduring themes that appear to inform both the debate about and claims for urban forms that promote sustainability. Overall, researches indicate that there may be many forms that can achieve sustainability, depending on the context in which they are applied (Guy and Marvin, 2000; Jenks and Dempsey, 2005). A critical review of the different mentioned approaches demonstrates a lack of agreement about the most desirable urban form in the context of sustainability (Williams K., Burton E. and Jenks M 2000; Hildebrand 1999). More scholars suggest that not one but a number of urban forms may be sustainable (Williams et al., 2000; Jenks M, Jones C. 2010). Hence, the search for the ultimate sustainable urban form perhaps now needs to be reoriented for a number of sustainable urban forms which respond to the variety of existing settlement patterns and contexts that have been identified. Yet much of the debate about sustainability of cities and urban forms has focused on increasing the density of development, ensuring a mix of uses, containing urban ‘sprawl’ and achieving social and economic diversity and vitality (Jenks and Dempsey, 2005).

As a result, Actions that planners and designers of the built environment should take in their professional role are not clear, both in the framework of sustainable development and the socio-cultural context of developing countries.

During the last three decades, cities around the globe have experienced tremendous transformations in their economy, environment and society due to the continuing rapid urbanization of world population, the increasing growth of urban centres, and the changing relationship between government and civil society (Jenks M. and Jones C., 2010).

These transformations have been challenging to governance in cities of both developing and developed countries in terms of delivering more sustainable urban form. There is an increasing need to comprehensively define and understand urban transformations, in order to evaluate aspects of the process related to the interaction of urban transformation forces that influence both urban form and sustainability (Kanna, 2006).

It is recognized that, although all cities are experiencing similar effects as a result of these trends, cities of the developing countries are suffering the greatest problems and challenges (Carmona and Burgess, 2000). Amongst these countries, the Gulf States (GCC) have seen in recent years an urban growth boom of unparalleled scale. Its impact on the built environment and urban form remains, however, largely unknown, poorly understood, not seen in a holistic perspective, and requires more research. Below are some of crucial current debates in cities like Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha are:

1. Sustainability vs. Fast Urbanization: Fundamental debate is the relationship between fast urbanization and the delivery of more sustainable urban form.
2. Sustainability & culture: How can the idea of sustainability be made more related to residents (both nationals and foreigners) and their individual commitment to become more conscious of the built environment?
3. Urbanization vs Local Culture: Urban Patterns that are developed in western countries are borrowed and used globally. Does the current pattern of development in GCC Cities reflect local identity? What is local identity?
4. Current land use Practice vs Culture Do the land use policies of allocating private land precede considerations for achieving more sustainable built form (layout, Density, building types, transport, infrastructure)?
5. Employment pattern vs socio–economic sustainability: How can the current employment pattern be transformed into higher income, higher knowledge based employment that can attract and nurture a true middle class to help sustain the homogeneity of these societies?
6. Globalized social activities: How will the issue of citizenship and democratic participation in the governance of GCC society come about to create and sustain a harmonious community? How are the demographic and culture needs of residents going to be met both physically and spiritually?
7. Transport Vs. Culture What are the barriers to effectively implement an integrated public transport system that is convenient and could be used by nationals as well as all residents of GCC cities?