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Middle Eastern transport is a fast accelerating environmental disaster, a greedy guzzler of energy with massive carbon emissions - the highest per unit of GDP of anywhere in the world.
Rapid population growth and urbanization has meant high traffic volumes and congestion. Public spending into road networks - expanding them to encourage yet further urbanization and vehicle use has led to additional traffic volume and congestion - and has come at the expense of public transport, which remains underfunded, inefficient, and unreliable. Being a traffic cop in Cairo for example, with its constant noise and lead pollution, must rank as one of the worst careers in the world - and with the shortest life expectancy.
These problems can be partly attributed to the lack of fuel efficiency standards and regulations, where aging vehicles crawl along for up to 15 years (except in GCC countries) - when in other parts of the globe they would have long ago been deemed unfit and illegal.
This is one area that the Middle East environmentalists have their work cut out, with reform and education being paramount for changes. But the good news is that National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) have pledged US$10 billion for green projects in the region - and clean transportation is on their list of priorities.
And perhaps the best example of clean, green transport is just on their doorstep. Masdar city, just 17 km outside National Bank of Abu Dhabi’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi is committed to zero carbon - and their transport system is as clean and green as it comes.
Designed to be very friendly to pedestrians and cyclists, the initial design banned automobiles altogether - but later agreed to use a mix of electric and other clean-energy vehicles for mass transit inside the city, with private vehicles restricted to parking lots along the city's perimeter.
The city's already a must-see for visiting heads of state, so perhaps the wheels are turning at last.
Also rechargeable electric cars are being touted as environmentally friendly and Fisker have just launched their new sports car - which they claimed to be the most green car ever made - at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, this week. Made with environmentally safe products, the roof is one solar panel- and charging it up overnight will take the driver 80 km. But with cheap fuel prices it's unlikely the car would appeal to locals except as an expensive novelty.
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Abu Dhabi International Airport - 41°F
